diff --git a/package/x11r7/xapp_xload/xapp_xload.mk b/package/x11r7/xapp_xload/xapp_xload.mk
index b44a51b5fd..605359bab6 100644
--- a/package/x11r7/xapp_xload/xapp_xload.mk
+++ b/package/x11r7/xapp_xload/xapp_xload.mk
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ XAPP_XLOAD_SITE = http://xorg.freedesktop.org/releases/individual/app
 XAPP_XLOAD_LICENSE = MIT
 XAPP_XLOAD_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 XAPP_XLOAD_DEPENDENCIES = xlib_libXaw
+XAPP_XLOAD_CONF_OPTS = --with-appdefaultdir=/usr/share/X11/app-defaults
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_USES_MUSL),y)
 # musl doesn't have rwhod.h, but xload can replace it with stubs