diff --git a/package/ncurses/ncurses.mk b/package/ncurses/ncurses.mk
index 9555f1ed66..343909fe3f 100644
--- a/package/ncurses/ncurses.mk
+++ b/package/ncurses/ncurses.mk
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ endef # NCURSES_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
 # ourselves, and use that during installation.
 #
 define HOST_NCURSES_BUILD_CMDS
-	$(MAKE1) -C $(@D) sources
-	$(MAKE) -C $(@D)/progs tic
+	$(HOST_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE1) -C $(@D) sources
+	$(HOST_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE) -C $(@D)/progs tic
 endef
 
 HOST_NCURSES_CONF_OPTS = \