diff --git a/package/swipl/swipl.mk b/package/swipl/swipl.mk
index ef9aedcd2d..e29b8d8f46 100644
--- a/package/swipl/swipl.mk
+++ b/package/swipl/swipl.mk
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ SWIPL_CONF_OPTS = \
 	-DQSORT_R_GNU=1 \
 	-DSWIPL_NATIVE_FRIEND=$(HOST_SWIPL_SRCDIR) \
 	-DSWIPL_PACKAGES=OFF \
-	-DUSE_TCMALLOC=OFF
+	-DUSE_TCMALLOC=OFF \
+	-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=true
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_LIBATOMIC),y)
 SWIPL_CONF_OPTS += -DCMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS=-latomic