diff --git a/configs/pcengines_apu2_defconfig b/configs/pcengines_apu2_defconfig
index 0792c93c19..a85808554c 100644
--- a/configs/pcengines_apu2_defconfig
+++ b/configs/pcengines_apu2_defconfig
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="5.16"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_CUSTOM_CONFIG=y
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE="board/pcengines/apu2/linux.config"
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_NEEDS_HOST_LIBELF=y
 
 # Default hostname and TTY
 BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_HOSTNAME="apu2"