diff --git a/package/wpewebkit/wpewebkit.mk b/package/wpewebkit/wpewebkit.mk
index 54f37fd702..b9c2fef395 100644
--- a/package/wpewebkit/wpewebkit.mk
+++ b/package/wpewebkit/wpewebkit.mk
@@ -103,4 +103,23 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_ARM_CPU_ARMV5)$(BR2_ARM_CPU_ARMV6)$(BR2_MIPS_CPU_MIPS32R6)$(BR2_MIPS
 WPEWEBKIT_CONF_OPTS += -DENABLE_JIT=OFF -DENABLE_C_LOOP=ON -DENABLE_SAMPLING_PROFILER=OFF
 endif
 
+# wpewebkit needs cmake >= 3.20 when building with the make backend, which is
+# above our minimal version in
+# support/dependencies/check-host-cmake.mk, so use the ninja backend:
+# https://github.com/WebKit/WebKit/commit/6cd89696b5d406c1a3d9a7a9bbb18fda9284fa1f
+WPEWEBKIT_CONF_OPTS += -GNinja
+WPEWEBKIT_DEPENDENCIES += host-ninja
+
+define WPEWEBKIT_BUILD_CMDS
+	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(BR2_CMAKE) --build $(WPEWEBKIT_BUILDDIR)
+endef
+
+define WPEWEBKIT_INSTALL_STAGING_CMDS
+	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) DESTDIR=$(STAGING_DIR) $(BR2_CMAKE) --install $(WPEWEBKIT_BUILDDIR)
+endef
+
+define WPEWEBKIT_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
+	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) $(BR2_CMAKE) --install $(WPEWEBKIT_BUILDDIR)
+endef
+
 $(eval $(cmake-package))