diff --git a/support/dependencies/check-host-coreutils.mk b/support/dependencies/check-host-coreutils.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..87a3f446ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/support/dependencies/check-host-coreutils.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Check whether the host's coreutils are up to date enough
+# to provide 'ln --relative' and 'realpath'.
+
+ifeq (,$(call suitable-host-package,coreutils))
+BR2_COREUTILS_HOST_DEPENDENCY = host-coreutils
+endif
diff --git a/support/dependencies/check-host-coreutils.sh b/support/dependencies/check-host-coreutils.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..4d36d74933
--- /dev/null
+++ b/support/dependencies/check-host-coreutils.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# Exit on the first error
+set -e
+
+# Does ln supports the --relative/-r option?
+ln --relative --help >/dev/null 2>&1
+
+# Does realpath exist?
+realpath --help >/dev/null 2>&1
+
+echo OK