diff --git a/package/cpio/Config.in b/package/cpio/Config.in
index 1787f3959c..df40faccf8 100644
--- a/package/cpio/Config.in
+++ b/package/cpio/Config.in
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_CPIO
 	bool "cpio"
 	# Need argp.h support
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_ARGP_STANDALONE if BR2_TOOLCHAIN_USES_UCLIBC
+	depends on BR2_USE_WCHAR
 	help
 	  cpio archive utility for creation and extraction.
 
 	  https://www.gnu.org/software/cpio/
+
+comment "cpio needs a toolchain w/ wchar"
+	depends on !BR2_USE_WCHAR