diff --git a/package/python/python.mk b/package/python/python.mk
index 71591b7..580eda2 100644
--- a/package/python/python.mk
+++ b/package/python/python.mk
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ HOST_PYTHON_CONF_OPT += \
  --disable-gdbm \
  --disable-bsddb \
  --disable-test-modules \
- --disable-bz2 \
  --disable-ssl

 HOST_PYTHON_MAKE_ENV = \
@@ -98,6 +97,8 @@ endif

 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_BZIP2),y)
 PYTHON_DEPENDENCIES += bzip2
+HOST_PYTHON_DEPENDENCIES += host-bzip2
+PYTHON_CONF_OPT += --enable-bz2
 else
 PYTHON_CONF_OPT += --disable-bz2
 endif