diff --git a/libs/libiio/Makefile b/libs/libiio/Makefile
index 2c0048c9c3..749951deaf 100644
--- a/libs/libiio/Makefile
+++ b/libs/libiio/Makefile
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ define Package/libiio
   TITLE:=Library for interfacing with Linux IIO devices
   URL:=https://github.com/analogdevicesinc/libiio
   DEPENDS:=\
+           +zlib \
            +LIBIIO_USB_BACKEND:libusb-1.0 \
            +LIBIIO_NETWORK_BACKEND:libavahi-client \
            +LIBIIO_XML_BACKEND:libxml2