diff --git a/package/libcpprestsdk/Config.in b/package/libcpprestsdk/Config.in
index 01ebc6aa7f..af97509d1b 100644
--- a/package/libcpprestsdk/Config.in
+++ b/package/libcpprestsdk/Config.in
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_LIBCPPRESTSDK
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_BOOST_REGEX
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_BOOST_THREAD
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_OPENSSL
-	select BR2_PACKAGE_ZLIB
 	help
 	  The C++ REST SDK is a Microsoft project for cloud-based
 	  client-server communication in native code using a modern
diff --git a/package/libcpprestsdk/libcpprestsdk.mk b/package/libcpprestsdk/libcpprestsdk.mk
index 8404b5096c..69ff9f17cc 100644
--- a/package/libcpprestsdk/libcpprestsdk.mk
+++ b/package/libcpprestsdk/libcpprestsdk.mk
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ LIBCPPRESTSDK_LICENSE = MIT
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_LICENSE_FILES = license.txt
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_SUBDIR = Release
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
-LIBCPPRESTSDK_DEPENDENCIES += host-pkgconf boost openssl zlib
+LIBCPPRESTSDK_DEPENDENCIES += host-pkgconf boost openssl
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_CONF_OPTS = -DWERROR=OFF -DBUILD_SAMPLES=OFF
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_STATIC_LIBS),y)
@@ -25,12 +25,19 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_LIBATOMIC),y)
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_CXXFLAGS += -latomic
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_ZLIB),y)
+LIBCPPRESTSDK_DEPENDENCIES += zlib
+LIBCPPRESTSDK_CONF_OPTS += -DCPPREST_EXCLUDE_COMPRESSION=OFF
+# brotli needs compression
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_BROTLI),y)
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_DEPENDENCIES += brotli
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_CONF_OPTS += -DCPPREST_EXCLUDE_BROTLI=OFF
 else
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_CONF_OPTS += -DCPPREST_EXCLUDE_BROTLI=ON
 endif
+else
+LIBCPPRESTSDK_CONF_OPTS += -DCPPREST_EXCLUDE_COMPRESSION=ON
+endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_WEBSOCKETPP),y)
 LIBCPPRESTSDK_DEPENDENCIES += websocketpp