diff --git a/package/mplayer/mplayer.mk b/package/mplayer/mplayer.mk
index 5e295515f4..2ddc0fc370 100644
--- a/package/mplayer/mplayer.mk
+++ b/package/mplayer/mplayer.mk
@@ -68,6 +68,14 @@ else
 MPLAYER_CONF_OPTS += --disable-fribidi
 endif
 
+# We intentionally don't pass --enable-libiconv, to let the
+# autodetection find which library to link with.
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICONV),y)
+MPLAYER_DEPENDENCIES += libiconv
+else
+MPLAYER_CONF_OPTS += --disable-iconv
+endif
+
 # We intentionally don't pass --enable-termcap, in order to let the
 # autodetection find with which library to link with. Otherwise, we
 # would have to pass it manually.