diff --git a/package/berkeleydb/berkeleydb.mk b/package/berkeleydb/berkeleydb.mk
index b2d4b689f3..6c487400ae 100644
--- a/package/berkeleydb/berkeleydb.mk
+++ b/package/berkeleydb/berkeleydb.mk
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ endef
 define HOST_BERKELEYDB_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 	(cd $(@D)/build_unix; rm -rf config.cache; \
 		$(HOST_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
+		CFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS) -std=gnu99" \
 		../dist/configure $(QUIET) \
 		--prefix=$(HOST_DIR) \
 		--with-gnu-ld \