diff --git a/package/pkg-generic.mk b/package/pkg-generic.mk
index 2916a7bbad..b2b3af7d8f 100644
--- a/package/pkg-generic.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-generic.mk
@@ -542,11 +542,14 @@ $(2)_REDIST_SOURCES_DIR = $$(REDIST_SOURCES_DIR_$$(call UPPERCASE,$(4)))/$$($(2)
 
 # When a target package is a toolchain dependency set this variable to
 # 'NO' so the 'toolchain' dependency is not added to prevent a circular
-# dependency
+# dependency.
+# Similarly for the skeleton.
 $(2)_ADD_TOOLCHAIN_DEPENDENCY	?= YES
+$(2)_ADD_SKELETON_DEPENDENCY	?= YES
+
 
 ifeq ($(4),target)
-ifneq ($(1),skeleton)
+ifeq ($$($(2)_ADD_SKELETON_DEPENDENCY),YES)
 $(2)_DEPENDENCIES += skeleton
 endif
 ifeq ($$($(2)_ADD_TOOLCHAIN_DEPENDENCY),YES)
diff --git a/package/skeleton/skeleton.mk b/package/skeleton/skeleton.mk
index a310a314a5..9b7407a236 100644
--- a/package/skeleton/skeleton.mk
+++ b/package/skeleton/skeleton.mk
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 # Hence, skeleton would depends on the toolchain and the toolchain would depend
 # on skeleton.
 SKELETON_ADD_TOOLCHAIN_DEPENDENCY = NO
+SKELETON_ADD_SKELETON_DEPENDENCY = NO
 
 # The skeleton also handles the merged /usr case in the sysroot
 SKELETON_INSTALL_STAGING = YES