diff --git a/package/gtest/gtest.mk b/package/gtest/gtest.mk
index 474d127312..6447954e36 100644
--- a/package/gtest/gtest.mk
+++ b/package/gtest/gtest.mk
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@ HOST_GTEST_LICENSE = Apache-2.0
 HOST_GTEST_LICENSE_FILES = googlemock/scripts/generator/LICENSE
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3),y)
 HOST_GTEST_PYTHON_VERSION = $(PYTHON3_VERSION_MAJOR)
+HOST_GTEST_DEPENDENCIES += host-python3
 else
 HOST_GTEST_PYTHON_VERSION = $(PYTHON_VERSION_MAJOR)
+HOST_GTEST_DEPENDENCIES += host-python
 endif
 
 HOST_GTEST_GMOCK_PYTHONPATH = \