diff --git a/package/freetype/freetype.mk b/package/freetype/freetype.mk
index e6463c30b6..f4d71bedf7 100644
--- a/package/freetype/freetype.mk
+++ b/package/freetype/freetype.mk
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ FREETYPE_LICENSE_FILES = docs/LICENSE.TXT docs/FTL.TXT docs/GPLv2.TXT
 FREETYPE_DEPENDENCIES = host-pkgconf
 FREETYPE_CONFIG_SCRIPTS = freetype-config
 
+# harfbuzz already depends on freetype so disable harfbuzz in freetype to avoid
+# a circular dependency
+FREETYPE_CONF_OPTS = --without-harfbuzz
+
 HOST_FREETYPE_DEPENDENCIES = host-pkgconf
 HOST_FREETYPE_CONF_OPTS = \
 	--without-brotli \
@@ -47,13 +51,6 @@ else
 FREETYPE_CONF_OPTS += --without-bzip2
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_HARFBUZZ),y)
-FREETYPE_DEPENDENCIES += harfbuzz
-FREETYPE_CONF_OPTS += --with-harbuzz
-else
-FREETYPE_CONF_OPTS += --without-harfbuzz
-endif
-
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBPNG),y)
 FREETYPE_DEPENDENCIES += libpng
 FREETYPE_CONF_OPTS += --with-png