diff --git a/package/jq/jq.mk b/package/jq/jq.mk
index aebe8c86e4..bf96f0cecb 100644
--- a/package/jq/jq.mk
+++ b/package/jq/jq.mk
@@ -17,8 +17,15 @@ JQ_CONF_ENV += CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS) -std=c99 -D_GNU_SOURCE"
 HOST_JQ_CONF_ENV += CFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS) -std=c99 -D_GNU_SOURCE"
 
 # jq explicitly enables maintainer mode, which we don't need/want
-JQ_CONF_OPTS += --disable-maintainer-mode --without-oniguruma
+JQ_CONF_OPTS += --disable-maintainer-mode
 HOST_JQ_CONF_OPTS += --disable-maintainer-mode --without-oniguruma
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_ONIGURUMA),y)
+JQ_DEPENDENCIES += oniguruma
+JQ_CONF_OPTS += --with-oniguruma
+else
+JQ_CONF_OPTS += --without-oniguruma
+endif
+
 $(eval $(autotools-package))
 $(eval $(host-autotools-package))