diff --git a/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk b/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
index 82230bca77..82a726e939 100644
--- a/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
+++ b/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
@@ -49,13 +49,20 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_NEEDS_GETTEXT_IF_LOCALE),y)
 UTIL_LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += gettext
-UTIL_LINUX_MAKE_OPTS += LIBS=-lintl
+UTIL_LINUX_LIBS += -lintl
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBCAP_NG),y)
 UTIL_LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += libcap-ng
 endif
 
+# Unfortunately, the util-linux does LIBS="" at the end of its
+# configure script. So we have to pass the proper LIBS value when
+# calling the configure script to make configure tests pass properly,
+# and then pass it again at build time.
+UTIL_LINUX_CONF_ENV += LIBS="$(UTIL_LINUX_LIBS)"
+UTIL_LINUX_MAKE_OPTS += LIBS="$(UTIL_LINUX_LIBS)"
+
 # Used by cramfs utils
 UTIL_LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_ZLIB),zlib)
 
@@ -148,6 +155,7 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_READLINE),y)
 UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --with-readline
+UTIL_LINUX_LIBS += $(if $(BR2_STATIC_LIBS),-lcurses)
 UTIL_LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += readline
 else
 UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --without-readline