diff --git a/package/gnutls/Config.in b/package/gnutls/Config.in
index d57bb8d135..28982b15a1 100644
--- a/package/gnutls/Config.in
+++ b/package/gnutls/Config.in
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_GNUTLS
 	depends on BR2_USE_WCHAR
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_LIBTASN1
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_NETTLE
-	select BR2_PACKAGE_PCRE
 	help
 	  GnuTLS is a secure communications library implementing the SSL
 	  and TLS protocols and technologies around them.
diff --git a/package/gnutls/gnutls.mk b/package/gnutls/gnutls.mk
index b5503b1fc9..79e7d529b1 100644
--- a/package/gnutls/gnutls.mk
+++ b/package/gnutls/gnutls.mk
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ GNUTLS_LICENSE += , GPL-3.0+ (gnutls-openssl library)
 GNUTLS_LICENSE_FILES += doc/COPYING
 endif
 
-GNUTLS_DEPENDENCIES = host-pkgconf libtasn1 nettle pcre
+GNUTLS_DEPENDENCIES = host-pkgconf libtasn1 nettle
 GNUTLS_CPE_ID_VENDOR = gnu
 GNUTLS_CONF_OPTS = \
 	--disable-doc \
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ GNUTLS_CONF_OPTS = \
 	--disable-libdane \
 	--disable-rpath \
 	--disable-tests \
-	--enable-local-libopts \
 	--enable-openssl-compatibility \
 	--without-libcrypto-prefix \
 	--without-libdl-prefix \
@@ -48,14 +47,6 @@ GNUTLS_CONF_ENV = gl_cv_socket_ipv6=yes \
 	gl_cv_func_gettimeofday_clobber=no
 GNUTLS_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 
-# gnutls needs libregex, but pcre can be used too
-# The check isn't cross-compile friendly
-GNUTLS_CONF_ENV += libopts_cv_with_libregex=yes
-GNUTLS_CONF_OPTS += \
-	--with-regex-header=pcreposix.h \
-	--with-libregex-cflags="`$(PKG_CONFIG_HOST_BINARY) libpcreposix --cflags`" \
-	--with-libregex-libs="`$(PKG_CONFIG_HOST_BINARY) libpcreposix --libs`"
-
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_CRYPTODEV_LINUX),y)
 GNUTLS_CONF_OPTS += --enable-cryptodev
 GNUTLS_DEPENDENCIES += cryptodev-linux