diff --git a/package/qt5/qt5base/qt5base.mk b/package/qt5/qt5base/qt5base.mk
index 81774b74a6..5fe8bb884b 100644
--- a/package/qt5/qt5base/qt5base.mk
+++ b/package/qt5/qt5base/qt5base.mk
@@ -215,6 +215,13 @@ endef
 endif
 
 QT5BASE_ARCH_CONFIG_FILE = $(@D)/mkspecs/devices/linux-buildroot-g++/arch.conf
+ifeq ($(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_LIBATOMIC)$(BR2_PACKAGE_QT5_VERSION_LATEST),yy)
+# Qt 5.8 needs atomics, which on various architectures are in -latomic
+define QT5BASE_CONFIGURE_ARCH_CONFIG
+	printf 'LIBS += -latomic\n' >$(QT5BASE_ARCH_CONFIG_FILE)
+endef
+endif
+
 define QT5BASE_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 	$(INSTALL) -m 0644 -D $(QT5BASE_PKGDIR)/qmake.conf \
 		$(@D)/mkspecs/devices/linux-buildroot-g++/qmake.conf