diff --git a/srcpkgs/binutils/template b/srcpkgs/binutils/template
index 56f87cd64c1..ab972ee5abb 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/binutils/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/binutils/template
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ checksum=4930b2886309112c00a279483eaef2f0f8e1b1b62010e0239c16b22af7c346d4
 
 if [ "$CHROOT_READY" ]; then
 	hostmakedepends="flex perl"
+	makedepends="libfl-devel"
 fi
 
-makedepends="libfl-devel zlib-devel"
+makedepends+="zlib-devel"
 
 pre_configure() {
 	# Drop bashism!