diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/b/binutils.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/b/binutils.py
index 3ea76ae47a..10e9761b09 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/b/binutils.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/b/binutils.py
@@ -148,6 +148,15 @@ def configure_step(self):
                 else:
                     libs.append(libz_path)
 
+        msgpackroot = get_software_root('msgpack-c')
+        if LooseVersion(self.version) >= LooseVersion('2.39'):
+            if msgpackroot:
+                self.cfg.update('configopts', '--with-msgpack')
+            else:
+                self.cfg.update('configopts', '--without-msgpack')
+        elif msgpackroot:
+            raise EasyBuildError('msgpack is only supported since binutils 2.39. Remove the dependency!')
+
         env.setvar('LIBS', ' '.join(libs))
 
         # explicitly configure binutils to use / as sysroot