diff --git a/package/socat/socat.mk b/package/socat/socat.mk
index c6f99c2afa..9e747e08fa 100644
--- a/package/socat/socat.mk
+++ b/package/socat/socat.mk
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ endif
 # automake, so we can't use the normal autoreconf logic.
 
 SOCAT_DEPENDENCIES = host-autoconf
+# incompatibile license (GPL-3.0+)
+SOCAT_CONF_OPTS = --disable-readline
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_OPENSSL),y)
 SOCAT_DEPENDENCIES += openssl
@@ -34,12 +36,6 @@ else
 SOCAT_CONF_OPTS += --disable-openssl
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_READLINE),y)
-SOCAT_DEPENDENCIES += readline
-else
-SOCAT_CONF_OPTS += --disable-readline
-endif
-
 define SOCAT_RUN_AUTOCONF
 	(cd $(@D); $(HOST_DIR)/bin/autoconf)
 endef