diff --git a/package/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.mk b/package/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.mk
index 71d2f3029..6e97c68fc 100644
--- a/package/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.mk
+++ b/package/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.mk
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ endif
 # NLS requires IDN so only enable it (i18n) when IDN is true
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_DNSMASQ_IDN),y)
 	DNSMASQ_DEPENDENCIES += libidn $(if $(BR2_NEEDS_GETTEXT_IF_LOCALE),gettext) host-gettext
-	DNSMASQ_MAKE_OPT += LDFLAGS+="-lidn $(if $(BR2_NEEDS_GETTEXT_IF_LOCALE),-lintl)"
+	DNSMASQ_MAKE_OPT += LIBS+="$(if $(BR2_NEEDS_GETTEXT_IF_LOCALE),-lintl)"
 	DNSMASQ_COPTS += -DHAVE_IDN
 	DNSMASQ_I18N = $(if $(BR2_ENABLE_LOCALE),-i18n)
 endif
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_DNSMASQ_LUA),y)
 
 # liblua uses dlopen when dynamically linked
 ifneq ($(BR2_PREFER_STATIC_LIB),y)
-	DNSMASQ_MAKE_OPT += LIBS="-ldl"
+	DNSMASQ_MAKE_OPT += LIBS+="-ldl"
 endif
 
 define DNSMASQ_ENABLE_LUA