diff --git a/package/pugixml/pugixml.mk b/package/pugixml/pugixml.mk
index c796186827..7d4f47c6fa 100644
--- a/package/pugixml/pugixml.mk
+++ b/package/pugixml/pugixml.mk
@@ -29,9 +29,7 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PUGIXML_HEADER_ONLY),y)
 PUGIXML_BUILD_DEFINES += PUGIXML_HEADER_ONLY
 endif
 
-ifdef PUGIXML_BUILD_DEFINES
 PUGIXML_CONF_OPTS += -DBUILD_DEFINES="$(subst $(space),;,$(PUGIXML_BUILD_DEFINES))"
-endif
 
 HOST_PUGIXML_CONF_OPTS += \
 	-DBUILD_PKGCONFIG=ON \