diff --git a/package/open2300/open2300.mk b/package/open2300/open2300.mk
index 73db2a0023..323f566cb4 100644
--- a/package/open2300/open2300.mk
+++ b/package/open2300/open2300.mk
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ OPEN2300_DEPENDENCIES += mysql
 OPEN2300_BINS += mysql2300 mysqlhistlog2300
 OPEN2300_CFLAGS += -I$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/include/mysql
 OPEN2300_LDFLAGS += -L$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/lib/mysql -lmysqlclient
+ifeq ($(BR2_STATIC_LIBS),y)
+# mysql needs -lz, so we need to specify it for static builds
+OPEN2300_LDFLAGS += -lz
+endif
 endif
 
 define OPEN2300_BUILD_CMDS