diff --git a/package/erlang/erlang.mk b/package/erlang/erlang.mk
index 89104c95fa..b2197408b7 100644
--- a/package/erlang/erlang.mk
+++ b/package/erlang/erlang.mk
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ ERLANG_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 # The configure checks for these functions fail incorrectly
 ERLANG_CONF_ENV = ac_cv_func_isnan=yes ac_cv_func_isinf=yes
 
+# Set erl_xcomp variables. See xcomp/erl-xcomp.conf.template
+# for documentation.
+ERLANG_CONF_ENV += erl_xcomp_sysroot=$(STAGING_DIR)
+
 ERLANG_CONF_OPT = --without-javac
 HOST_ERLANG_CONF_OPT = --without-javac