diff --git a/package/bison/bison.mk b/package/bison/bison.mk
index 76ceb6e4d..5779673e1 100644
--- a/package/bison/bison.mk
+++ b/package/bison/bison.mk
@@ -9,5 +9,6 @@ BISON_SOURCE = bison-$(BISON_VERSION).tar.xz
 BISON_SITE = $(BR2_GNU_MIRROR)/bison
 BISON_LICENSE = GPLv3+
 BISON_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
+HOST_BISON_DEPENDENCIES = host-m4
 
 $(eval $(host-autotools-package))