diff --git a/packages/devel/glibc/package.mk b/packages/devel/glibc/package.mk
index cf5acd603c..20c759fb70 100644
--- a/packages/devel/glibc/package.mk
+++ b/packages/devel/glibc/package.mk
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ PKG_CONFIGURE_OPTS_TARGET="BASH_SHELL=/bin/sh \
                            --enable-lock-elision \
                            --disable-timezone-tools"
 
+# workaround to use arm patches for aarch64
+if [ "${TARGET_PATCH_ARCH}" = "aarch64" ]; then
+  PKG_PATCH_DIRS="arm"
+fi
+
 # busybox:init needs it
 # testcase: boot with /storage as nfs-share (set cmdline.txt -> "ip=dhcp boot=UUID=2407-5145 disk=NFS=[nfs-share] quiet")
 PKG_CONFIGURE_OPTS_TARGET+=" --enable-obsolete-rpc"