diff --git a/package/flex/flex.mk b/package/flex/flex.mk
index df1b4201bf..041aba8abe 100644
--- a/package/flex/flex.mk
+++ b/package/flex/flex.mk
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ FLEX_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 FLEX_DEPENDENCIES = \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_GETTEXT),gettext) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBINTL),libintl)
+# we don't have a host-gettext/libintl
+HOST_FLEX_DEPENDENCIES =
 
 # lex -> flex
 define FLEX_INSTALL_LEX