diff --git a/package/libical/Config.in b/package/libical/Config.in
index 48170e9f87..3220d5bee1 100644
--- a/package/libical/Config.in
+++ b/package/libical/Config.in
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICAL
 	depends on BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP
 	depends on !BR2_STATIC_LIBS
 	depends on BR2_USE_WCHAR
+	select BR2_TARGET_TZ_INFO
 	help
 	  libical is an Open Source (MPL/LGPL) implementation of the IETF's
 	  iCalendar Calendaring and Scheduling protocols.
diff --git a/package/libical/libical.mk b/package/libical/libical.mk
index e8cb3f8d79..a511039569 100644
--- a/package/libical/libical.mk
+++ b/package/libical/libical.mk
@@ -13,5 +13,7 @@ LIBICAL_LICENSE_FILES = LICENSE
 # building without this option is broken, it is used by
 # Gentoo/alpinelinux as well
 LIBICAL_CONF_OPTS = -DSHARED_ONLY=true
+# never build time zone info, always use system's tzinfo
+LIBICAL_CONF_OPTS += -DUSE_BUILTIN_TZDATA=false
 
 $(eval $(cmake-package))