diff --git a/package/qemu/qemu.mk b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
index 73e0778d73..2c11f64ad0 100644
--- a/package/qemu/qemu.mk
+++ b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
@@ -271,8 +271,11 @@ HOST_QEMU_OPTS += --enable-vde
 HOST_QEMU_DEPENDENCIES += host-vde2
 endif
 
-ifdef ($(BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_QEMU_VIRTFS),y)
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_QEMU_VIRTFS),y)
 HOST_QEMU_OPTS += --enable-virtfs
+HOST_QEMU_DEPENDENCIES += host-libcap
+else
+HOST_QEMU_OPTS += --disable-virtfs
 endif
 
 # Override CPP, as it expects to be able to call it like it'd