diff --git a/package/cppcms/cppcms.mk b/package/cppcms/cppcms.mk
index 1f6c09dfa9..9d05e8150f 100644
--- a/package/cppcms/cppcms.mk
+++ b/package/cppcms/cppcms.mk
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ CPPCMS_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING.TXT
 CPPCMS_SITE = http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/cppcms/cppcms/$(CPPCMS_VERSION)
 CPPCMS_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 
+# disable rpath to avoid getting /usr/lib added to the link search
+# path
+CPPCMS_CONF_OPTS = -DCMAKE_SKIP_RPATH=ON
+
 CPPCMS_DEPENDENCIES = zlib pcre libgcrypt
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_CPPCMS_ICU),y)