diff --git a/usr.bin/compile_et/Makefile b/usr.bin/compile_et/Makefile
index 6305bfe3ddfd..621ba3dd101d 100644
--- a/usr.bin/compile_et/Makefile
+++ b/usr.bin/compile_et/Makefile
@@ -1,12 +1,23 @@
 .PATH: ${SRCTOP}/contrib/com_err
 
 PACKAGE=	kerberos
 
 PROG=	compile_et
 SRCS=	compile_et.c parse.y lex.l
-LIBADD=	roken vers
+.if defined(BOOTSTRAPPING)
+# compiler_et does not need the full libroken but just a bunch of the file
+# in there, the buildsystem we have will trigger the full dependency chain
+# when linking statically including libcrypt, which is a ldscript, not
+# supported by macOS ar(1).
+LIBROKEN_A=	${.OBJDIR:H:H}/kerberos5/lib/libroken/libroken.a
+LDADD=	${LIBROKEN_A}
+DPADD=	${LIBROKEN_A}
+.else
+LIBADD=	roken
+.endif
+LIBADD+=	vers
 CFLAGS+=-I. -I${SRCTOP}/contrib/com_err
 
 WARNS?=	0
 
 .include <bsd.prog.mk>