diff --git a/package/zlib-ng/zlib-ng.mk b/package/zlib-ng/zlib-ng.mk
index 59e4e15282..448457799e 100644
--- a/package/zlib-ng/zlib-ng.mk
+++ b/package/zlib-ng/zlib-ng.mk
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ else
 ZLIB_NG_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_NEON=OFF
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_powerpc_power8),y)
+ifeq ($(BR2_powerpc_power8):$(BR2_POWERPC_SOFT_FLOAT),y:)
 ZLIB_NG_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_POWER8=ON
 else
 ZLIB_NG_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_POWER8=OFF
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_powerpc_power9),y)
+ifeq ($(BR2_powerpc_power9):$(BR2_POWERPC_SOFT_FLOAT),y:)
 ZLIB_NG_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_POWER9=ON
 else
 ZLIB_NG_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_POWER9=OFF