diff --git a/package/whois/whois.mk b/package/whois/whois.mk
index 91450f6cbd..4c40481c2c 100644
--- a/package/whois/whois.mk
+++ b/package/whois/whois.mk
@@ -10,17 +10,19 @@ WHOIS_SOURCE = whois_$(WHOIS_VERSION).tar.xz
 # take precedence over busybox implementation
 WHOIS_DEPENDENCIES = host-gettext $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX),busybox)
 WHOIS_MAKE_ENV = $(TARGET_MAKE_ENV)
-WHOIS_MAKE_OPT = CC="$(TARGET_CC)" CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)"
+WHOIS_MAKE_OPT = CC="$(TARGET_CC)" CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)" \
+	LIBS="$(WHOIS_EXTRA_LIBS)"
 WHOIS_LICENSE = GPLv2+
 WHOIS_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_NEEDS_GETTEXT),y)
 WHOIS_DEPENDENCIES += gettext
-WHOIS_MAKE_OPT += LIBS="-lintl"
+WHOIS_EXTRA_LIBS += -lintl
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICONV),y)
 WHOIS_DEPENDENCIES += libiconv
+WHOIS_EXTRA_LIBS += -liconv
 WHOIS_MAKE_ENV += HAVE_ICONV=1
 endif