diff --git a/lang/php5/Makefile.ext b/lang/php5/Makefile.ext
index de3e00f9255b..575a87485947 100644
--- a/lang/php5/Makefile.ext
+++ b/lang/php5/Makefile.ext
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ USE_PHP_BUILD=	yes
 
 .if ${PHP_MODNAME} == "readline"
 CONFIGURE_ARGS+=--with-readline=/usr
+USES+=		readline
 .endif
 
 .if ${PHP_MODNAME} == "recode"