diff --git a/meta/classes/autotools.bbclass b/meta/classes/autotools.bbclass
index f213e893df..0addcb915c 100644
--- a/meta/classes/autotools.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/autotools.bbclass
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def autotools_dep_prepend(d):
 
 EXTRA_OEMAKE = ""
 
-DEPENDS_prepend = "${@autotools_dep_prepend(d)}"
+DEPENDS_prepend = "${@autotools_dep_prepend(d)} "
 
 inherit siteinfo