diff --git a/src/core/config/linux.pri b/src/core/config/linux.pri
index 8d736d0c1f353c801669172bd3917865ffd37f85..7f269245e112838ba75615327af137f7eaecc23c 100644
--- a/src/core/config/linux.pri
+++ b/src/core/config/linux.pri
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ GYP_CONFIG += \
 contains(QT_CONFIG, system-zlib): use?(system_minizip): GYP_CONFIG += use_system_zlib=1
 contains(QT_CONFIG, system-png): GYP_CONFIG += use_system_libpng=1
 contains(QT_CONFIG, system-jpeg): GYP_CONFIG += use_system_libjpeg=1
-contains(QT_CONFIG, system-harfbuzz): GYP_CONFIG += use_system_harfbuzz=1
 !contains(QT_CONFIG, pulseaudio): GYP_CONFIG += use_pulseaudio=0
 
+use?(system_harfbuzz): GYP_CONFIG += use_system_harfbuzz=1
 use?(system_libevent): GYP_CONFIG += use_system_libevent=1
 use?(system_libwebp):  GYP_CONFIG += use_system_libwebp=1
 use?(system_libsrtp):  GYP_CONFIG += use_system_libsrtp=1
diff --git a/tools/qmake/mkspecs/features/configure.prf b/tools/qmake/mkspecs/features/configure.prf
index f117e214d0b51c50873d35ed6ac84a8c8fa3429d..758cd9fde513d8e03a5588b7d23f6d20c62eeafc 100644
--- a/tools/qmake/mkspecs/features/configure.prf
+++ b/tools/qmake/mkspecs/features/configure.prf
@@ -25,11 +25,14 @@ defineTest(runConfigure) {
         !config_libcap:skipBuild("libcap development package appears to be missing")
         !config_khr:skipBuild("khronos development headers appear to be missing (mesa/libegl1-mesa-dev)")
 
-        REQUIRED_PACKAGES = dbus-1 fontconfig
+        REQUIRED_PACKAGES = dbus-1 fontconfig freetype2
         contains(QT_CONFIG, xcb): REQUIRED_PACKAGES += libdrm xcomposite xcursor xi xrandr xscrnsaver xtst
         contains(QT_CONFIG, pulseaudio): REQUIRED_PACKAGES += libpulse
         contains(QT_CONFIG, system-png): REQUIRED_PACKAGES += libpng
-        contains(QT_CONFIG, system-harfbuzz): REQUIRED_PACKAGES += harfbuzz
+        contains(QT_CONFIG, system-harfbuzz)|packagesExist("\'freetype2 >= 2.5.3\'"): {
+            WEBENGINE_CONFIG += use_system_harfbuzz
+            REQUIRED_PACKAGES += harfbuzz
+        }
         !cross_compile: REQUIRED_PACKAGES += libpci
 
         for(package, $$list($$REQUIRED_PACKAGES)) {