diff --git a/package/iputils/iputils.mk b/package/iputils/iputils.mk
index c6bff92848..15ee68be53 100644
--- a/package/iputils/iputils.mk
+++ b/package/iputils/iputils.mk
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ define IPUTILS_MOVE_BINARIES
 endef
 IPUTILS_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += IPUTILS_MOVE_BINARIES
 
+# upstream requires distros to create symlink
+define IPUTILS_CREATE_PING6_SYMLINK
+	ln -sf $(TARGET_DIR)/bin/ping $(TARGET_DIR)/bin/ping6
+endef
+IPUTILS_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += IPUTILS_CREATE_PING6_SYMLINK
+
 # handle permissions ourselves
 IPUTILS_CONF_OPTS += -DNO_SETCAP_OR_SUID=true
 define IPUTILS_PERMISSIONS