diff --git a/package/pcre/pcre.mk b/package/pcre/pcre.mk
index 06652c70e4..7fcc592a14 100644
--- a/package/pcre/pcre.mk
+++ b/package/pcre/pcre.mk
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ PCRE_LICENSE_FILES = LICENCE
 PCRE_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 PCRE_CONFIG_SCRIPTS = pcre-config
 
+# They're required for host-libglib2
+HOST_PCRE_CONF_OPTS = --enable-unicode-properties
+
 ifneq ($(BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP),y)
 # pcre will use the host g++ if a cross version isn't available
 PCRE_CONF_OPTS = --disable-cpp