diff --git a/package/mosh/mosh.mk b/package/mosh/mosh.mk
index fa6ab17010..f9e335799d 100644
--- a/package/mosh/mosh.mk
+++ b/package/mosh/mosh.mk
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ MOSH_DEPENDENCIES = zlib ncurses protobuf host-pkgconf
 MOSH_LICENSE = GPL-3.0+ with exception
 MOSH_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING COPYING.iOS
 
+# protobuf needs c++11 (since 3.6.0)
+MOSH_CONF_ENV += CXXFLAGS="$(TARGET_CXXFLAGS) -std=c++11"
+
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_OPENSSL),y)
 MOSH_CONF_OPTS += --with-crypto-library=openssl
 MOSH_DEPENDENCIES += openssl