diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2fb1cf7f5..2bb1cfaf8 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -384,6 +384,8 @@ if(UNIX)
       set(OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} dl m log)
     elseif(${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} MATCHES "FreeBSD|NetBSD|DragonFly")
       set(OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} m pthread)
+    elseif(EMSCRIPTEN)
+      # no need to link to system libs with emscripten
     else()
       set(OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS ${OPENCV_LINKER_LIBS} dl m pthread rt)
     endif()