diff --git a/src/core/config/linux.pri b/src/core/config/linux.pri
index d337f686f9e5dd126afde9697f15991e81969f85..1ce3ea89d46fa3861edd2147853833a810a96f82 100644
--- a/src/core/config/linux.pri
+++ b/src/core/config/linux.pri
@@ -115,12 +115,12 @@ host_build {
         PKG_CONFIG_HOST = $$(GN_PKG_CONFIG_HOST)
         pkgConfigLibDir = $$(PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR)
         pkgConfigSysrootDir = $$(PKG_CONFIG_SYSROOT_DIR)
-        isEmpty(PKG_CONFIG_HOST): PKG_CONFIG_HOST = $$QMAKE_PKG_CONFIG_HOST
-        cross_compile {
+        isEmpty(PKG_CONFIG_HOST): cross_compile {
             !isEmpty(pkgConfigLibDir)|!isEmpty(pkgConfigSysrootDir) {
                 PKG_CONFIG_HOST = $$pkgConfigHostExecutable()
             }
         }
+        isEmpty(PKG_CONFIG_HOST): PKG_CONFIG_HOST = $$QMAKE_PKG_CONFIG_HOST
         gn_args += host_pkg_config=\"$$PKG_CONFIG_HOST\"
     }