diff --git a/package/x11r7/xlib_libXpm/xlib_libXpm.mk b/package/x11r7/xlib_libXpm/xlib_libXpm.mk
index e781a8b518..09f897ea09 100644
--- a/package/x11r7/xlib_libXpm/xlib_libXpm.mk
+++ b/package/x11r7/xlib_libXpm/xlib_libXpm.mk
@@ -16,4 +16,8 @@ XLIB_LIBXPM_DEPENDENCIES = xlib_libX11 xlib_libXext xlib_libXt xproto_xproto \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICONV),libiconv) \
 	$(TARGET_NLS_DEPENDENCIES)
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_SYSTEM_ENABLE_NLS),)
+XLIB_LIBXPM_CONF_ENV = ac_cv_search_gettext=no
+endif
+
 $(eval $(autotools-package))