diff --git a/package/libsemanage/libsemanage.mk b/package/libsemanage/libsemanage.mk
index d554a33356..bbde50f49f 100644
--- a/package/libsemanage/libsemanage.mk
+++ b/package/libsemanage/libsemanage.mk
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ HOST_LIBSEMANAGE_DEPENDENCIES = host-bison host-audit host-libsepol host-libseli
 HOST_LIBSEMANAGE_MAKE_OPTS += \
 	$(HOST_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
 	PREFIX=$(HOST_DIR) \
-	SWIG_LIB="$(HOST_DIR)/share/swig/$(SWIG_VERSION)/"
+	SWIG_LIB="$(HOST_DIR)/share/swig/$(SWIG_VERSION)/" \
+	DEFAULT_SEMANAGE_CONF_LOCATION=$(HOST_DIR)/etc/selinux/semanage.conf
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3),y)
 HOST_LIBSEMANAGE_DEPENDENCIES += host-python3