diff --git a/package/util-linux/Config.in b/package/util-linux/Config.in
index 917a53d850..38d68ca251 100644
--- a/package/util-linux/Config.in
+++ b/package/util-linux/Config.in
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_LIBUUID
 	  Install libuuid.
 
 config BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_BINARIES
-	bool "install utilities"
+	bool "basic set"
 	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # fork()
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_LIBBLKID
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_LIBMOUNT
@@ -55,19 +55,17 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_BINARIES
 	help
 	  Install the basic set of util-linux binaries.
 
-	  blkdiscard, blkid, blockdev, cfdisk, chcpu, col, colcrt,
-	  colrm, column, ctrlaltdel, dmesg, fdisk, findfs, findmnt,
-	  flock, fsfreeze, fstrim, getopt, hexdump, ipcmk, isosize,
-	  ldattach, look, lsblk, lscpu, lsipc, lslocks, lsns, mcookie,
-	  mkfs, mkswap, namei, prlimit, readprofile, renice, rev,
-	  rtcwake, script, scriptreplay, setarch, setsid, sfdisk,
-	  swaplabel, swapoff, swapon, tailf, uuidgen, whereis, wipefs
+	  blkdiscard, blkid, blockdev, chcpu, col, colcrt, colrm,
+	  column, ctrlaltdel, dmesg, fdisk, findfs, findmnt, flock,
+	  fsfreeze, fstrim, getopt, hexdump, ipcmk, isosize, ldattach,
+	  look, lsblk, lscpu, lsipc, lslocks, lsns, mcookie, mkfs,
+	  mkswap, namei, prlimit, readprofile, renice, rev, rtcwake,
+	  script, scriptreplay, setarch, setsid, sfdisk, swaplabel,
+	  swapoff, swapon, tailf, uuidgen, whereis, wipefs
 
 	  The setarch utility also installs architecture-specific
 	  symlinks like linux32, linux64, uname26, i386 and x86_64.
 
-if BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_BINARIES
-
 config BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_AGETTY
 	bool "agetty"
 	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # fork()
@@ -371,7 +369,5 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_ZRAMCTL
 
 endif
 
-endif
-
 comment "util-linux needs a toolchain w/ wchar"
 	depends on !BR2_USE_WCHAR
diff --git a/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk b/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
index 4dadc3f41f..bd6508ce44 100644
--- a/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
+++ b/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ UTIL_LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_LINUX_PAM),linux-pam)
 
 # Disable/Enable utilities
 UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += \
+	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_BINARIES),--enable-all-programs,--disable-all-programs) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_AGETTY),--enable-agetty,--disable-agetty) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_BFS),--enable-bfs,--disable-bfs) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_CAL),--enable-cal,--disable-cal) \
@@ -142,12 +143,6 @@ else
 HOST_UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --disable-all-programs
 endif
 
-# Avoid building the tools if they are disabled since we can't install on
-# a per-directory basis.
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_BINARIES),)
-UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --disable-all-programs
-endif
-
 # Install libmount Python bindings
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON)$(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3),y)
 UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --with-python