diff --git a/boot/uboot/Config.in b/boot/uboot/Config.in
index be51642918..8643dab36a 100644
--- a/boot/uboot/Config.in
+++ b/boot/uboot/Config.in
@@ -139,6 +139,13 @@ config BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE
 	  Path to the U-Boot configuration file.
 endif
 
+config BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_NEEDS_DTC
+	bool "U-Boot needs dtc"
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_DTC
+	help
+	  Select this option if your U-Boot board configuration
+	  requires the Device Tree compiler to be available.
+
 choice
 	prompt "U-Boot binary format"
 	default BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_FORMAT_BIN
diff --git a/boot/uboot/uboot.mk b/boot/uboot/uboot.mk
index 74940788ce..eee0dba23b 100644
--- a/boot/uboot/uboot.mk
+++ b/boot/uboot/uboot.mk
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ UBOOT_MAKE_OPTS += \
 	CROSS_COMPILE="$(TARGET_CROSS)" \
 	ARCH=$(UBOOT_ARCH)
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_NEEDS_DTC),y)
+UBOOT_DEPENDENCIES += host-dtc
+endif
+
 # Helper function to fill the U-Boot config.h file.
 # Argument 1: option name
 # Argument 2: option value