diff --git a/configs/qemu_ppc64_pseries_defconfig b/configs/qemu_ppc64_pseries_defconfig
index 8c58fec24f..350380578a 100644
--- a/configs/qemu_ppc64_pseries_defconfig
+++ b/configs/qemu_ppc64_pseries_defconfig
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="6.6.18"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG="pseries"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_VMLINUX=y
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_NEEDS_HOST_LIBELF=y
 
 # host-qemu for gitlab testing
 BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_QEMU=y
diff --git a/configs/qemu_ppc64le_powernv8_defconfig b/configs/qemu_ppc64le_powernv8_defconfig
index 23ad5772c2..fd8936a1fa 100644
--- a/configs/qemu_ppc64le_powernv8_defconfig
+++ b/configs/qemu_ppc64le_powernv8_defconfig
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="6.6.18"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG="powernv"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_VMLINUX=y
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_NEEDS_HOST_LIBELF=y
 
 # host-qemu for gitlab testing
 BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_QEMU=y
diff --git a/configs/qemu_ppc64le_pseries_defconfig b/configs/qemu_ppc64le_pseries_defconfig
index 207e5f5b40..ebc3b7a6fd 100644
--- a/configs/qemu_ppc64le_pseries_defconfig
+++ b/configs/qemu_ppc64le_pseries_defconfig
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="6.6.18"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG="pseries_le"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_VMLINUX=y
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_NEEDS_HOST_LIBELF=y
 
 # host-qemu for gitlab testing
 BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_QEMU=y