diff --git a/package/nettle/nettle.mk b/package/nettle/nettle.mk
index d1987d427f..04e3adb84e 100644
--- a/package/nettle/nettle.mk
+++ b/package/nettle/nettle.mk
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 NETTLE_VERSION = 3.9.1
 NETTLE_SITE = https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/nettle
-NETTLE_DEPENDENCIES = gmp
+NETTLE_DEPENDENCIES = host-m4 gmp
 NETTLE_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 NETTLE_LICENSE = Dual GPL-2.0+/LGPL-3.0+
 NETTLE_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING.LESSERv3 COPYINGv2
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ NETTLE_CPE_ID_VENDOR = nettle_project
 # with static linking
 NETTLE_CONF_OPTS = --disable-openssl
 
+HOST_NETTLE_DEPENDENCIES = host-m4
+
 # ARM assembly requires v6+ ISA
 ifeq ($(BR2_ARM_CPU_ARMV4)$(BR2_ARM_CPU_ARMV5)$(BR2_ARM_CPU_ARMV7M),y)
 NETTLE_CONF_OPTS += --disable-assembler