diff --git a/depends/packages/bdb.mk b/depends/packages/bdb.mk
index bb3ba46f3..2842cad90 100644
--- a/depends/packages/bdb.mk
+++ b/depends/packages/bdb.mk
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ $(package)_config_opts_darwin=--disable-atomicsupport
 endif
 $(package)_config_opts_aarch64=--disable-atomicsupport
 $(package)_cxxflags+=-std=c++11
-$(package)_cppflags+=-std=gnu17
 endef
 
 define $(package)_preprocess_cmds
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ endef
 endif
 
 define $(package)_build_cmds
-  $(MAKE) libdb_cxx-6.2.a libdb-6.2.a
+  CCFLAGS=-std=gnu17 $(MAKE) libdb_cxx-6.2.a libdb-6.2.a
 endef
 
 define $(package)_stage_cmds