diff --git a/src/multimedia/audio/audio.pri b/src/multimedia/audio/audio.pri
index d6d74a316e725a33e6af37575614db7bdb8e830b..202d8b11046a95a2f94e5d50d236396889748c33 100644
--- a/src/multimedia/audio/audio.pri
+++ b/src/multimedia/audio/audio.pri
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ SOURCES += \
            audio/qaudiohelpers.cpp
 
 qtConfig(pulseaudio) {
-    QMAKE_USE += pulseaudio
+    QMAKE_USE_FOR_PRIVATE += pulseaudio
 
     DEFINES += QT_MULTIMEDIA_PULSEAUDIO
     PRIVATE_HEADERS += audio/qsoundeffect_pulse_p.h