diff --git a/linux/linux.mk b/linux/linux.mk
index f948e6c55..cf728aad0 100644
--- a/linux/linux.mk
+++ b/linux/linux.mk
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ endif
 LINUX_PATCHES = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_PATCH))
 
 LINUX_INSTALL_IMAGES = YES
-LINUX_DEPENDENCIES  += host-kmod host-lzop
+LINUX_DEPENDENCIES  += host-kmod
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_UBOOT_IMAGE),y)
 	LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += host-uboot-tools
@@ -163,7 +163,14 @@ LINUX_POST_PATCH_HOOKS += LINUX_APPLY_PATCHES
 ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_DEFCONFIG),y)
 KERNEL_SOURCE_CONFIG = $(KERNEL_ARCH_PATH)/configs/$(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG))_defconfig
 else ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_CUSTOM_CONFIG),y)
-KERNEL_SOURCE_CONFIG = $(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE)
+KERNEL_SOURCE_CONFIG = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE))
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(call KCONFIG_GET_OPT,CONFIG_KERNEL_LZO,$(KERNEL_SOURCE_CONFIG)),y)
+LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += host-lzop
+endif
+ifeq ($(call KCONFIG_GET_OPT,CONFIG_RD_LZO,$(KERNEL_SOURCE_CONFIG)),y)
+LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += host-lzop
 endif
 
 define LINUX_CONFIGURE_CMDS