diff --git a/packages/lang/Python/build b/packages/lang/Python/build
index cf70945fc3..26088f8220 100755
--- a/packages/lang/Python/build
+++ b/packages/lang/Python/build
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -lexpat" \
              --without-cxx-main \
              --with-threads \
              --enable-unicode=ucs4 \
+             --with-system-expat \
 
 make PYTHON_MODULES_INCLUDE="$HOST_INCDIR" \
      PYTHON_MODULES_LIB="$HOST_LIBDIR"