diff --git a/package/busybox/busybox.mk b/package/busybox/busybox.mk
index 24f3ba3b19..7a1a506963 100644
--- a/package/busybox/busybox.mk
+++ b/package/busybox/busybox.mk
@@ -236,6 +236,18 @@ define BUSYBOX_SET_SELINUX
 endef
 endif
 
+# enable relevant options to allow the Busybox less applet to be used
+# as a systemd pager
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_SYSTEMD):$(BR2_PACKAGE_LESS),y:)
+define BUSYBOX_SET_LESS_FLAGS
+	$(call KCONFIG_ENABLE_OPT,CONFIG_FEATURE_LESS_DASHCMD)
+	$(call KCONFIG_ENABLE_OPT,CONFIG_FEATURE_LESS_RAW)
+	$(call KCONFIG_ENABLE_OPT,CONFIG_FEATURE_LESS_TRUNCATE)
+	$(call KCONFIG_ENABLE_OPT,CONFIG_FEATURE_LESS_FLAGS)
+	$(call KCONFIG_ENABLE_OPT,CONFIG_FEATURE_LESS_ENV)
+endef
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_INDIVIDUAL_BINARIES),y)
 define BUSYBOX_SET_INDIVIDUAL_BINARIES
 	$(call KCONFIG_ENABLE_OPT,CONFIG_BUILD_LIBBUSYBOX)
@@ -337,6 +349,7 @@ define BUSYBOX_KCONFIG_FIXUP_CMDS
 	$(BUSYBOX_SET_INIT)
 	$(BUSYBOX_SET_WATCHDOG)
 	$(BUSYBOX_SET_SELINUX)
+	$(BUSYBOX_SET_LESS_FLAGS)
 	$(BUSYBOX_SET_INDIVIDUAL_BINARIES)
 endef