diff --git a/mk/spksrc.python.mk b/mk/spksrc.python.mk
index 59992b12d05..c4350d9337d 100644
--- a/mk/spksrc.python.mk
+++ b/mk/spksrc.python.mk
@@ -45,11 +45,11 @@ endif
 # set PYTHONPATH for spksrc.python-module.mk
 #PYTHONPATH = $(PYTHON_SITE_PACKAGES_NATIVE):$(PYTHON_LIB_NATIVE):$(PYTHON_STAGING_INSTALL_PREFIX)/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)/site-packages/
 
-# Re-use all default python mandatory libraries
-PYTHON_LIBS := $(wildcard $(PYTHON_STAGING_INSTALL_PREFIX)/lib/pkgconfig/*.pc)
+# Re-use all default python mandatory libraries (with exception of zlib)
+PYTHON_LIBS := $(filter-out %zlib.pc,$(wildcard $(PYTHON_STAGING_INSTALL_PREFIX)/lib/pkgconfig/*.pc))
 
-# Re-use all python dependencies and mark as already done
-PYTHON_DEPENDS := $(foreach cross,$(foreach pkg_name,$(shell $(MAKE) dependency-list -C $(realpath $(PYTHON_PACKAGE_WORK_DIR)/../) 2>/dev/null | grep ^$(PYTHON_PACKAGE) | cut -f2 -d:),$(shell sed -n 's/^PKG_NAME = \(.*\)/\1/p' $(realpath $(CURDIR)/../../$(pkg_name)/Makefile))),$(wildcard $(PYTHON_PACKAGE_WORK_DIR)/.$(cross)-*_done))
+# Re-use all python dependencies and mark as already done (with exceltion of zlib)
+PYTHON_DEPENDS := $(foreach cross,$(filter-out zlib,$(foreach pkg_name,$(shell $(MAKE) dependency-list -C $(realpath $(PYTHON_PACKAGE_WORK_DIR)/../) 2>/dev/null | grep ^$(PYTHON_PACKAGE) | cut -f2 -d:),$(shell sed -n 's/^PKG_NAME = \(.*\)/\1/p' $(realpath $(CURDIR)/../../$(pkg_name)/Makefile)))),$(wildcard $(PYTHON_PACKAGE_WORK_DIR)/.$(cross)-*_done))
 
 # call-up pre-depend to prepare the shared python build environment
 PRE_DEPEND_TARGET = python_pre_depend
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@ python_pre_depend:
 	@mkdir -p $(STAGING_INSTALL_PREFIX)/lib/pkgconfig/
 	@$(foreach lib,$(PYTHON_LIBS),ln -sf $(lib) $(STAGING_INSTALL_PREFIX)/lib/pkgconfig/ ;)
 	@$(foreach _done,$(PYTHON_DEPENDS), ln -sf $(_done) $(WORK_DIR) ;)
-	@# EXCEPTION: Ensure zlib is always built locally
-	@rm -f $(STAGING_INSTALL_PREFIX)/lib/pkgconfig/zlib.pc $(WORK_DIR)/.zlib*
 	@# EXCEPTION: Do not symlink cross/* wheel builds
 	@make --no-print-directory dependency-flat | sort -u | grep cross/ | while read depend ; do \
 	   makefile="../../$${depend}/Makefile" ; \