diff --git a/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk b/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
index 8464288600..31a3fe47ab 100644
--- a/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
+++ b/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX),y)
 UTIL_LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += busybox
 endif
 
+# Prevent the installation from attempting to move shared libraries from
+# ${usrlib_execdir} (/usr/lib) to ${libdir} (/lib), since both paths are
+# the same when merged usr is in use.
+ifeq ($(BR2_ROOTFS_MERGED_USR),y)
+UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --bindir=/usr/bin --sbindir=/usr/sbin --libdir=/usr/lib
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_NCURSES),y)
 UTIL_LINUX_DEPENDENCIES += ncurses
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_NCURSES_WCHAR),y)