diff --git a/utils/bc/Makefile b/utils/bc/Makefile
index f43ff6a32..23e5b1ccc 100644
--- a/utils/bc/Makefile
+++ b/utils/bc/Makefile
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ endef
 define Package/bc
   $(call Package/bc/Default)
   TITLE:=Arbitrary precision calculator language
+  DEPENDS:=+libreadline
 endef
 
 define Package/bc/description
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@ define Package/dc/description
  precision arithmetic.
 endef
 
+CONFIGURE_ARGS += --with-readline
+
 define Package/bc/install
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(1)/usr/bin
 	$(INSTALL_BIN) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/bc/bc $(1)/usr/bin/