diff --git a/meta/classes/gettext.bbclass b/meta/classes/gettext.bbclass
index 89faa30eca..95818c6771 100644
--- a/meta/classes/gettext.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/gettext.bbclass
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def gettext_oeconf(d):
         return '--disable-nls'
     return "--enable-nls"
 
-DEPENDS_GETTEXT = "virtual/gettext gettext-native"
+DEPENDS_GETTEXT ??= "virtual/gettext gettext-native"
 
 BASEDEPENDS =+ "${@gettext_dependencies(d)}"
 EXTRA_OECONF_append = " ${@gettext_oeconf(d)}"