diff --git a/package/pkg-virtual.mk b/package/pkg-virtual.mk
index 2e83e077e0..0de79d49be 100644
--- a/package/pkg-virtual.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-virtual.mk
@@ -49,7 +49,13 @@ $(2)_IS_VIRTUAL = YES
 ifeq ($(4),target)
 $(2)_DEPENDENCIES += $$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_PACKAGE_PROVIDES_$(2)))
 else
+ifeq ($$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_PACKAGE_PROVIDES_$(2))),)
+# Inherit from target package BR2_PACKAGE_PROVIDES_FOO
 $(2)_DEPENDENCIES += host-$$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_PACKAGE_PROVIDES_$(3)))
+else
+# BR2_PACKAGE_PROVIDES_HOST_<pkg> is explicitly defined
+$(2)_DEPENDENCIES += $$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_PACKAGE_PROVIDES_$(2)))
+endif
 endif
 
 # Call the generic package infrastructure to generate the necessary