diff --git a/package/network-manager/Config.in b/package/network-manager/Config.in
index 39114daf18..1a11fc4270 100644
--- a/package/network-manager/Config.in
+++ b/package/network-manager/Config.in
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_NETWORK_MANAGER_TUI
 	help
 	  This option enables terminal based UI
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_NETWORK_MANAGER_CLI
+	bool "nmcli support"
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_READLINE
+	help
+	  This option enables support for the NetworkManager Command
+	  Line Interface
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_NETWORK_MANAGER_MODEM_MANAGER
 	bool "modem-manager support"
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_MODEM_MANAGER
@@ -50,7 +57,6 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_NETWORK_MANAGER_OVS
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_JANSSON
 	help
 	  This option enables support for OpenVSwitch
-
 endif
 
 comment "NetworkManager needs udev /dev management and a glibc toolchain w/ headers >= 4.6, dynamic library, wchar, threads, gcc >= 4.9"
diff --git a/package/network-manager/network-manager.mk b/package/network-manager/network-manager.mk
index 3c39ce7d6d..92997d1cb6 100644
--- a/package/network-manager/network-manager.mk
+++ b/package/network-manager/network-manager.mk
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ else
 NETWORK_MANAGER_CONF_OPTS += --disable-polkit
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_READLINE),y)
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_NETWORK_MANAGER_CLI),y)
 NETWORK_MANAGER_DEPENDENCIES += readline
 NETWORK_MANAGER_CONF_OPTS += --with-nmcli
 else