diff --git a/package/ruby/ruby.mk b/package/ruby/ruby.mk
index 69006c1ff3..4ecf49dee1 100644
--- a/package/ruby/ruby.mk
+++ b/package/ruby/ruby.mk
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ RUBY_CONF_ENV = CFLAGS="$(RUBY_CFLAGS)"
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_BERKELEYDB),y)
 	RUBY_DEPENDENCIES += berkeleydb
 endif
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_GDBM),y)
+	RUBY_DEPENDENCIES += gdbm
+endif
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBYAML),y)
 	RUBY_DEPENDENCIES += libyaml
 endif