diff --git a/package/ola/Config.in b/package/ola/Config.in
index 7b56f5ca9d..2f1d33ef28 100644
--- a/package/ola/Config.in
+++ b/package/ola/Config.in
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_OLA_EXAMPLES
 config BR2_PACKAGE_OLA_RDM_TESTS
 	bool "rdm tests"
 	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_OLA_PYTHON_BINDINGS
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_NUMPY_ARCH_SUPPORTS
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_NUMPY
 	help
 	  Build OLA RDM tests.
 
diff --git a/package/ola/ola.mk b/package/ola/ola.mk
index 75ab25e164..93e84a6838 100644
--- a/package/ola/ola.mk
+++ b/package/ola/ola.mk
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_OLA_RDM_TESTS),y)
 OLA_CONF_OPTS += --enable-rdm-tests
+OLA_DEPENDENCIES += python-numpy
+# needed as numpy builds some shared libraries and ola checks for
+# numpy using a host python test program which fails with 'wrong ELF
+# class'.
+OLA_CONF_ENV = ac_cv_have_pymod_numpy=yes
 else
 OLA_CONF_OPTS += --disable-rdm-tests
 endif