diff --git a/boot/arm-trusted-firmware/Config.in b/boot/arm-trusted-firmware/Config.in
index 373591d497..737dc587e5 100644
--- a/boot/arm-trusted-firmware/Config.in
+++ b/boot/arm-trusted-firmware/Config.in
@@ -160,4 +160,11 @@ config BR2_TARGET_ARM_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_IMAGES
 	  Names of generated image files that are installed in the
 	  output images/ directory.
 
+config BR2_TARGET_ARM_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_NEEDS_DTC
+	bool "Needs dtc"
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_DTC
+	help
+	  Select this option if your ATF board configuration
+	  requires the Device Tree compiler to be available.
+
 endif
diff --git a/boot/arm-trusted-firmware/arm-trusted-firmware.mk b/boot/arm-trusted-firmware/arm-trusted-firmware.mk
index 34737018aa..27f63a87fe 100644
--- a/boot/arm-trusted-firmware/arm-trusted-firmware.mk
+++ b/boot/arm-trusted-firmware/arm-trusted-firmware.mk
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ endif
 
 ARM_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_INSTALL_IMAGES = YES
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_ARM_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_NEEDS_DTC),y)
+ARM_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_DEPENDENCIES += host-dtc
+endif
+
 ARM_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_PLATFORM = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_ARM_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_PLATFORM))
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_ARM_TRUSTED_FIRMWARE_DEBUG),y)