diff --git a/meta/recipes-devtools/flex/flex.inc b/meta/recipes-devtools/flex/flex.inc
index 43f1dda01c..96d5de5f74 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-devtools/flex/flex.inc
+++ b/meta/recipes-devtools/flex/flex.inc
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ inherit autotools gettext
 M4 = "${bindir}/m4"
 M4_class-native = "${STAGING_BINDIR_NATIVE}/m4"
 
+EXTRA_OECONF += "ac_cv_path_M4=${M4}"
+EXTRA_OEMAKE += "m4=${STAGING_BINDIR_NATIVE}/m4"
+
 do_install_append_class-native() {
 	create_wrapper ${D}/${bindir}/flex M4=${M4}
 }
@@ -20,3 +23,5 @@ do_install_append_class-native() {
 do_install_append_class-nativesdk() {
 	create_wrapper ${D}/${bindir}/flex M4=${M4}
 }
+
+RDEPENDS_${PN} += "m4"