diff --git a/package/e2fsprogs/e2fsprogs.mk b/package/e2fsprogs/e2fsprogs.mk
index c863f702ce..178372b2a6 100644
--- a/package/e2fsprogs/e2fsprogs.mk
+++ b/package/e2fsprogs/e2fsprogs.mk
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ E2FSPROGS_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING lib/uuid/COPYING lib/ss/mit-sipb-copyright.h l
 E2FSPROGS_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 E2FSPROGS_INSTALL_STAGING_OPTS = DESTDIR=$(STAGING_DIR) install-libs
 
+# e4defrag doesn't build on older systems like RHEL5.x, and we don't
+# need it on the host anyway.
+HOST_E2FSPROGS_CONF_OPTS += --disable-defrag
+
 E2FSPROGS_CONF_OPTS = \
 	$(if $(BR2_STATIC_LIBS),,--enable-elf-shlibs) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_E2FSPROGS_DEBUGFS),,--disable-debugfs) \