diff --git a/package/tcl/Config.in b/package/tcl/Config.in
index f1fa0541a1..adb9f22488 100644
--- a/package/tcl/Config.in
+++ b/package/tcl/Config.in
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_TCL
 	# See this mailing list thread:
 	# http://lists.busybox.net/pipermail/buildroot/2015-March/121198.html
 	depends on !BR2_STATIC_LIBS
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_ZLIB
 	help
 	  TCL (Tool Command Language) is a simple textual language.
 
diff --git a/package/tcl/tcl.mk b/package/tcl/tcl.mk
index 843d58a4ae..1943bc7b27 100644
--- a/package/tcl/tcl.mk
+++ b/package/tcl/tcl.mk
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ TCL_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += TCL_REMOVE_EXTRA
 
 TCL_DEPENDENCIES = $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_SQLITE),sqlite) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_MYSQL),mysql) \
-	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_POSTGRESQL),postgresql)
+	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_POSTGRESQL),postgresql) \
+	zlib
 
 $(eval $(autotools-package))
 $(eval $(host-autotools-package))