diff --git a/package/zxing/Config.in b/package/zxing/Config.in
index b69dfc9230..1e04635fab 100644
--- a/package/zxing/Config.in
+++ b/package/zxing/Config.in
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ comment "zxing needs a toolchain w/ C++"
 config BR2_PACKAGE_ZXING
 	bool "zxing"
 	depends on BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP
-	select BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICONV if !BR2_ENABLE_LOCALE
 	help
 	  ZXing (pronounced "zebra crossing") is an open-source,
 	  multi-format 1D/2D barcode image processing library
diff --git a/package/zxing/zxing.mk b/package/zxing/zxing.mk
index 367a84f54a..5942167fde 100644
--- a/package/zxing/zxing.mk
+++ b/package/zxing/zxing.mk
@@ -12,7 +12,13 @@ ZXING_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 ZXING_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 
 ifneq ($(BR2_ENABLE_LOCALE),y)
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICONV),y)
 ZXING_DEPENDENCIES += libiconv
+else
+# There is no locale support in the toolchain and libiconv
+# is not available so disable iconv support in zxing
+ZING_MAKE_OPT=CXXFLAGS+="-DNO_ICONV"
+endif
 endif
 
 define ZXING_EXTRACT_CMDS
@@ -20,7 +26,7 @@ define ZXING_EXTRACT_CMDS
 endef
 
 define ZXING_BUILD_CMDS
-	$(MAKE) -C $(@D)/cpp/core/src $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS)
+	$(MAKE) -C $(@D)/cpp/core/src $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) $(ZING_MAKE_OPT)
 endef
 
 define ZXING_INSTALL_STAGING_CMDS