diff --git a/Config.in.legacy b/Config.in.legacy
index 530553801b..8975b95ed9 100644
--- a/Config.in.legacy
+++ b/Config.in.legacy
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ endif
 ###############################################################################
 comment "Legacy options removed in 2015.11"
 
+# Since FreeRDP has new dependencies, protect this legacy to avoid the
+# infamous "unmet direct dependencies" kconfig error.
+config BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_CLIENT
+	bool "freerdp client option renamed"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_CLIENT_X11
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_BLACKBOX
 	bool "blackbox package has been removed"
 	select BR2_LEGACY
diff --git a/package/freerdp/Config.in b/package/freerdp/Config.in
index 12619a5b05..6d9d6fc94e 100644
--- a/package/freerdp/Config.in
+++ b/package/freerdp/Config.in
@@ -62,14 +62,14 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_SERVER
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_XLIB_LIBXEXT
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_XLIB_LIBXFIXES
 
-config BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_CLIENT
-	bool "client"
+config BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_CLIENT_X11
+	bool "X11 client"
 	default y
 	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_XORG7
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_XLIB_LIBX11
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_XLIB_LIBXEXT
 
-comment "server and client need X.Org"
+comment "server and X11 client need X.Org"
 	depends on !BR2_PACKAGE_XORG7
 
 endif
diff --git a/package/freerdp/freerdp.mk b/package/freerdp/freerdp.mk
index 30108b6843..0b68e2e5b5 100644
--- a/package/freerdp/freerdp.mk
+++ b/package/freerdp/freerdp.mk
@@ -85,18 +85,38 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_SERVER),y)
 FREERDP_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_SERVER=ON
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_CLIENT),y)
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_CLIENT_X11),y)
 FREERDP_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_CLIENT=ON
 endif
 
 #---------------------------------------
 # X.Org libs for client and/or server
 
-ifneq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_SERVER)$(BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_CLIENT),)
+# The FreeRDP buildsystem uses non-orthogonal options. For example it
+# is not possible to build the server and the wayland client without
+# also building the X client. That's because the dependencies of the
+# server (the X libraries) are a superset of those of the X client.
+# So, as soon as FreeRDP is configured for the server and the wayland
+# client, it will believe it also has to build the X client, because
+# the libraries it needs are enabled.
+#
+# Furthermore, the shadow server is always built, even if there's nothing
+# it can serve (i.e. the X libs are disabled).
+#
+# So, we do not care whether we build too much; we remove, as
+# post-install hooks, whatever we do not want.
 
-# Those two are mandatory for both the server and the client
+# If Xorg is enabled, and the server or the X client are, then libX11
+# and libXext are forcibly enabled at the Kconfig level. However, if
+# Xorg is enabled but neither the server nor the X client are, then
+# there's nothing that guarantees those two libs are enabled. So we
+# really must check for them.
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_XLIB_LIBX11)$(BR2_PACKAGE_XLIB_LIBX11),yy)
 FREERDP_DEPENDENCIES += xlib_libX11 xlib_libXext
 FREERDP_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_X11=ON
+else
+FREERDP_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_X11=OFF
+endif
 
 # The following libs are either optional or mandatory only for either
 # the server or the client. A mandatory library for either one is
@@ -171,12 +191,6 @@ else
 FREERDP_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_XV=OFF
 endif
 
-else # ! SERVER && ! CLIENT
-
-FREERDP_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_X11=OFF
-
-endif # ! SERVER && ! CLIENT
-
 #---------------------------------------
 # Post-install hooks to cleanup and install missing stuff
 
@@ -189,6 +203,27 @@ endef
 FREERDP_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += FREERDP_RM_SHADOW_SERVER
 endif # ! server
 
+# X client is always built as soon as a client is enabled and the
+# necessary libs are enabled (e.g. because of the server), so manually
+# remove it if the user does not want it.
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_FREERDP_CLIENT_X11),)
+define FREERDP_RM_CLIENT_X11
+	rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/bin/xfreerdp
+	rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/libxfreerdp-client*
+endef
+FREERDP_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += FREERDP_RM_CLIENT_X11
+define FREERDP_RM_CLIENT_X11_LIB
+	rm -f $(STAGING_DIR)/usr/lib/libxfreerdp-client*
+endef
+FREERDP_POST_INSTALL_STAGING_HOOKS += FREERDP_RM_CLIENT_X11_LIB
+endif # ! X client
+
+# Remove static libraries in unusual dir
+define FREERDP_CLEANUP
+	rm -rf $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/freerdp
+endef
+FREERDP_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += FREERDP_CLEANUP
+
 FREERDP_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_WAYLAND=OFF
 
 # Install the server key and certificate, so that a client can connect.