diff --git a/package/bluez5_utils/Config.in b/package/bluez5_utils/Config.in
index 038c6e7095..1e9eda31dc 100644
--- a/package/bluez5_utils/Config.in
+++ b/package/bluez5_utils/Config.in
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_BLUEZ5_UTILS_PLUGINS_HEALTH
 
 config BR2_PACKAGE_BLUEZ5_UTILS_PLUGINS_MESH
 	bool "build mesh profile"
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_ELL
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_JSON_C
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_READLINE
 	help
diff --git a/package/bluez5_utils/bluez5_utils.mk b/package/bluez5_utils/bluez5_utils.mk
index 2d95899f44..2149614c56 100644
--- a/package/bluez5_utils/bluez5_utils.mk
+++ b/package/bluez5_utils/bluez5_utils.mk
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ endif
 
 # enable mesh profile
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_BLUEZ5_UTILS_PLUGINS_MESH),y)
-BLUEZ5_UTILS_CONF_OPTS += --enable-mesh
-BLUEZ5_UTILS_DEPENDENCIES += json-c readline
+BLUEZ5_UTILS_CONF_OPTS += --enable-external-ell --enable-mesh
+BLUEZ5_UTILS_DEPENDENCIES += ell json-c readline
 else
-BLUEZ5_UTILS_CONF_OPTS += --disable-mesh
+BLUEZ5_UTILS_CONF_OPTS += --disable-external-ell --disable-mesh
 endif
 
 # enable midi profile