diff --git a/package/matchbox-keyboard/matchbox-keyboard.mk b/package/matchbox-keyboard/matchbox-keyboard.mk
index fcdd8b1390..ba524c001b 100644
--- a/package/matchbox-keyboard/matchbox-keyboard.mk
+++ b/package/matchbox-keyboard/matchbox-keyboard.mk
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_CAIRO),y)
 MATCHBOX_KEYBOARD_CONF_OPTS += --enable-cairo
 MATCHBOX_KEYBOARD_DEPENDENCIES += cairo
 else
+MATCHBOX_KEYBOARD_CONF_OPTS += --disable-cairo
 MATCHBOX_KEYBOARD_DEPENDENCIES += xlib_libXft
 endif