diff --git a/gnu/lib/Makefile b/gnu/lib/Makefile
index a208c79c37a7..796cefcacc98 100644
--- a/gnu/lib/Makefile
+++ b/gnu/lib/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 .include <src.opts.mk>
 
-SUBDIR= csu libgcc libdialog libregex libreadline
+SUBDIR= csu libgcc libdialog libregex
 
 .if ${MK_GCC} != "no"
 SUBDIR+= libgcov libgomp
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ SUBDIR+= libssp
 SUBDIR+= tests
 .endif
 
+.if ${MK_GDB} != "no"
+SUBDIR+=	libreadline
+.endif
+
 # libsupc++ uses libstdc++ headers, although 'make includes' should
 # have taken care of that already.
 .if ${MK_GNUCXX} != "no"