diff --git a/package/libvips/libvips.mk b/package/libvips/libvips.mk
index 7622f32fbc..72fcf6003e 100644
--- a/package/libvips/libvips.mk
+++ b/package/libvips/libvips.mk
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_sparc64),y)
 LIBVIPS_CXXFLAGS += -O0
 endif
 
-LIBVIPS_CONF_ENV += CXXFLAGS="$(TARGET_CXXFLAGS) $(LIBVIPS_CXXFLAGS)"
+LIBVIPS_CONF_ENV += CXXFLAGS="$(TARGET_CXXFLAGS) $(LIBVIPS_CXXFLAGS)" \
+	LIBS=$(TARGET_NLS_LIBS)
 
 LIBVIPS_CONF_OPTS = \
 	--disable-introspection \