diff --git a/package/perl/perl.mk b/package/perl/perl.mk
index 091c0327d7..1e6a054aab 100644
--- a/package/perl/perl.mk
+++ b/package/perl/perl.mk
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ endef
 $(eval $(generic-package))
 $(eval $(host-generic-package))
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PERL),y)
 define PERL_FINALIZE_TARGET
 	rm -rf $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/perl5/$(PERL_VERSION)/pod
 	rm -rf $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/perl5/$(PERL_VERSION)/$(PERL_ARCHNAME)/CORE
@@ -122,6 +123,5 @@ define PERL_FINALIZE_TARGET
 	find $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/perl5/ -name '*.bs' -print0 | xargs -0 rm -f
 	find $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/perl5/ -name '.packlist' -print0 | xargs -0 rm -f
 endef
-
 TARGET_FINALIZE_HOOKS += PERL_FINALIZE_TARGET
-
+endif