diff --git a/configs/minnowboard_max-graphical_defconfig b/configs/minnowboard_max-graphical_defconfig
index ef0947cb78..2c11fb378c 100644
--- a/configs/minnowboard_max-graphical_defconfig
+++ b/configs/minnowboard_max-graphical_defconfig
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ BR2_x86_atom=y
 BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_4_12=y
 BR2_TOOLCHAIN_BUILDROOT_LOCALE=y
 BR2_TOOLCHAIN_BUILDROOT_CXX=y
+# needed for TARGET_GRUB2
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_BUILDROOT_WCHAR=y
 
 # System configuration
 BR2_ROOTFS_DEVICE_CREATION_DYNAMIC_EUDEV=y