diff --git a/srcpkgs/ncurses/template b/srcpkgs/ncurses/template
index 48ed66fdc30..85b59ff37e8 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/ncurses/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/ncurses/template
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 pkgname=ncurses
 version=5.9
 revision=4
-subpackages="ncurses-base ncurses-devel ncurses-libs ncurses-term"
 short_desc="A System V Release 4.0 curses emulation library"
 maintainer="Juan RP <xtraeme@gmail.com>"
 homepage="http://www.gnu.org/software/ncurses/"
@@ -18,6 +17,12 @@ long_desc="
  ecompiler infocmp, clear, tput, tset, and a termcap conversion tool captoinfo.
  Full manual pages are provided for the library and tools."
 
+if [ -n "$XBPS_CROSS_TRIPLET" ]; then
+	subpackages="ncurses-devel ncurses-libs"
+else
+	subpackages="ncurses-base ncurses-devel ncurses-libs ncurses-term"
+fi
+
 do_build() {
 	mkdir ncurses-build ncursesw-build
 	cd ${wrksrc}/ncursesw-build
@@ -26,21 +31,23 @@ do_build() {
 	CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fPIC" \
 		../configure ${CONFIGURE_SHARED_ARGS} \
 		--enable-widec --with-shared --without-debug \
-		--with-manpage-symlinks --without-ada --enable-ext-colors \
-		--with-install-prefix=${DESTDIR}
+		--with-manpage-symlinks --without-ada --enable-ext-colors
 	make ${makejobs}
 
 	cd ${wrksrc}/ncurses-build
 	# non-widec build
 	CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fPIC" \
 		../configure ${CONFIGURE_SHARED_ARGS} --with-shared \
-		--without-debug --without-ada --with-install-prefix=${DESTDIR}
+		--without-debug --without-ada
 	make ${makejobs}
 }
 
 do_install() {
 	cd ${wrksrc}/ncursesw-build
-	make install
+	if [ -n "$XBPS_CROSS_TRIPLET" ]; then
+		sed -e "s#install : install.data install.libs#install: install.libs#g" -i misc/Makefile
+	fi
+	make DESTDIR=${DESTDIR} install
 
 	# Fool packages looking to link to non-wide-character ncurses libraries
 	for lib in curses ncurses form panel menu; do
@@ -59,6 +66,7 @@ do_install() {
 
 	# non-widec compatibility library
 	cd ${wrksrc}/ncurses-build
+
 	install -Dm755 lib/libncurses.so.${version} \
 		${DESTDIR}/usr/lib/libncurses.so.${version}
 	ln -sf libncurses.so.${version} \