diff --git a/boards/native/Makefile.dep b/boards/native/Makefile.dep
index f0e996ae56..dedea2cc63 100644
--- a/boards/native/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/native/Makefile.dep
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ ifneq (,$(filter mtd,$(USEMODULE)))
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter periph_can,$(FEATURES_USED)))
+  USEPKG += libsocketcan
   ifeq ($(OS),Linux)
     CFLAGS += -DCAN_DLL_NUMOF=2
   endif
diff --git a/cpu/native/Makefile.include b/cpu/native/Makefile.include
index 279ff4f412..8791a735a4 100644
--- a/cpu/native/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/native/Makefile.include
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ ifeq ($(BUILDOSXNATIVE),1)
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter periph_can,$(USEMODULE)))
-  LINKFLAGS += -lsocketcan
+  ifeq (,$(filter libsocketcan,$(USEPKG)))
+    # link system libsocketcan if not using the provided package
+    LINKFLAGS += -lsocketcan
+  endif
 endif
 
 TOOLCHAINS_SUPPORTED = gnu llvm afl