diff --git a/target/linux/uml/patches/901-lib_zlib_deflate_visible.patch b/target/linux/uml/patches/901-lib_zlib_deflate_visible.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bac8fcfa97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/target/linux/uml/patches/901-lib_zlib_deflate_visible.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+make ZLIB_DEFLATE visible, so that we can choose whether we want it built-in
+or as a module
+
+--- a/lib/Kconfig
++++ b/lib/Kconfig
+@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ config ZLIB_INFLATE
+ 	tristate
+ 
+ config ZLIB_DEFLATE
+-	tristate
++	tristate "Zlib compression"
+ 
+ config LZO_COMPRESS
+ 	tristate