diff --git a/devel/py-grpcio-tools/Makefile b/devel/py-grpcio-tools/Makefile
index 2cc9b93b78d5..a07cb68bac11 100644
--- a/devel/py-grpcio-tools/Makefile
+++ b/devel/py-grpcio-tools/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ LICENSE=	BSD3CLAUSE
 RUN_DEPENDS=	${PYTHON_PKGNAMEPREFIX}grpcio>1:devel/py-grpcio@${PY_FLAVOR}
 LIB_DEPENDS=	libcares.so:dns/c-ares
 
-USES=		localbase:ldflags python
+USES=		compiler:c++11-lang localbase:ldflags python
 USE_PYTHON=	autoplist distutils
 CFLAGS+=	-DHAVE_PTHREAD=1
 LDFLAGS+=	-lcares