diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 14fca2b3d5..4fe370abf3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -673,9 +673,11 @@ graph-build: $(O)/build/build-time.log
 				   --output=$(O)/graphs/build.pie-$(t).$(BR_GRAPH_OUT) \
 				   $(if $(BR2_GRAPH_ALT),--alternate-colors)$(sep))
 
-graph-depends:
+graph-depends-requirements:
 	@dot -? >/dev/null 2>&1 || \
-		(echo "ERROR: The 'dot' program from Graphviz is needed for graph-depends" >&2; exit 1)
+		{ echo "ERROR: The 'dot' program from Graphviz is needed for graph-depends" >&2; exit 1; }
+
+graph-depends: graph-depends-requirements
 	@$(INSTALL) -d $(O)/graphs
 	@cd "$(CONFIG_DIR)"; \
 	$(TOPDIR)/support/scripts/graph-depends $(BR2_GRAPH_DEPS_OPTS) \
diff --git a/package/pkg-generic.mk b/package/pkg-generic.mk
index 457d873660..4a011cceea 100644
--- a/package/pkg-generic.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-generic.mk
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ endif
 $(1)-show-depends:
 			@echo $$($(2)_FINAL_DEPENDENCIES)
 
-$(1)-graph-depends:
+$(1)-graph-depends: graph-depends-requirements
 			@$$(INSTALL) -d $$(O)/graphs
 			@cd "$$(CONFIG_DIR)"; \
 			$$(TOPDIR)/support/scripts/graph-depends -p $(1) $$(BR2_GRAPH_DEPS_OPTS) \