diff --git a/package/libcap/libcap.mk b/package/libcap/libcap.mk
index 6adac7309..15a2cfbc7 100644
--- a/package/libcap/libcap.mk
+++ b/package/libcap/libcap.mk
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ else
 	LIBCAP_HAVE_LIBATTR = no
 endif
 
+# we don't have host-attr
+HOST_LIBCAP_DEPENDENCIES =
+
 define LIBCAP_BUILD_CMDS
 	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) $(MAKE) -C $(@D) \
 		LIBATTR=$(LIBCAP_HAVE_LIBATTR) BUILD_CC="$(HOSTCC)" \