diff --git a/package/qt5/qt5base/qt5base.mk b/package/qt5/qt5base/qt5base.mk
index 8b55aa3098..9da3de468a 100644
--- a/package/qt5/qt5base/qt5base.mk
+++ b/package/qt5/qt5base/qt5base.mk
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ QT5BASE_ARCH_CONFIG_FILE = $(@D)/mkspecs/devices/linux-buildroot-g++/arch.conf
 ifeq ($(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_LIBATOMIC),y)
 # Qt 5.8 needs atomics, which on various architectures are in -latomic
 define QT5BASE_CONFIGURE_ARCH_CONFIG
-	printf 'LIBS += -latomic\n' >$(QT5BASE_ARCH_CONFIG_FILE)
+	printf '!host_build { \n LIBS += -latomic\n }' >$(QT5BASE_ARCH_CONFIG_FILE)
 endef
 endif