diff --git a/package/exim/exim.mk b/package/exim/exim.mk
index f6016fabc3..b6fe2027f6 100644
--- a/package/exim/exim.mk
+++ b/package/exim/exim.mk
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ define EXIM_USE_DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE
 	$(call exim-config-unset,EXIM_MONITOR)
 endef
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_DOVECOT),y)
+EXIM_DEPENDENCIES += dovecot
+define EXIM_USE_DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE_DOVECOT
+	$(call exim-config-change,AUTH_DOVECOT,yes)
+endef
+endif
+
 define EXIM_CONFIGURE_TOOLCHAIN
 	$(call exim-config-add,CC,$(TARGET_CC))
 	$(call exim-config-add,CFLAGS,$(TARGET_CFLAGS))
@@ -65,6 +72,7 @@ endef
 else # CUSTOM_CONFIG
 define EXIM_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 	$(EXIM_USE_DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE)
+	$(EXIM_USE_DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE_DOVECOT)
 	$(EXIM_CONFIGURE_TOOLCHAIN)
 endef
 endif # CUSTOM_CONFIG