diff --git a/srcpkgs/desmume/template b/srcpkgs/desmume/template
index 45fbdd9cf92..d493c243eb1 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/desmume/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/desmume/template
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ homepage="http://www.desmume.org"
 distfiles="${SOURCEFORGE_SITE}/$pkgname/$pkgname-$version.tar.gz"
 checksum=cd2ad70cdde1236eba5a4ff8cea838f42b7dc470e32ac938263f49f12a55d754
 
+if [ "$CROSS_BUILD" ]; then
+	# XXX needs sdl-config
+	hostmakedepends+=" SDL-devel"
+fi
+
 pre_configure() {
 	sed -i 's/@GETTEXT_PACKAGE@/desmume/' po/Makefile.in.in
 }