diff --git a/package/nmap/nmap.mk b/package/nmap/nmap.mk
index 13414a56ee..34cf61ff0b 100644
--- a/package/nmap/nmap.mk
+++ b/package/nmap/nmap.mk
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ else
 NMAP_CONF_OPTS += --without-openssl
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_ZLIB),y)
+NMAP_CONF_OPTS += --with-libz="$(STAGING_DIR)/usr"
+NMAP_DEPENDENCIES += zlib
+else
+NMAP_CONF_OPTS += --without-libz
+endif
+
 NMAP_INSTALL_TARGET_OPTS = DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR)
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_NMAP_NCAT),y)