diff --git a/network/pound/pound.conf b/network/pound/pound.conf
index c87365d18..f3a318dfe 100644
--- a/network/pound/pound.conf
+++ b/network/pound/pound.conf
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ if [ $prefix_auto = 1 ] ; then
 	set_confopt
 fi
 
+if atstage cross; then
+	# if not, it will try to use rpl_malloc()
+	var_append configcache ' ' 'ac_cv_func_malloc_0_nonnull=yes'
+fi
+
 if [ $pkg = "pound" ] ; then
 
 	# by default enabled options