diff --git a/package/qemu/Config.in b/package/qemu/Config.in
index 2bbc6a14c0..154b98a541 100644
--- a/package/qemu/Config.in
+++ b/package/qemu/Config.in
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ menuconfig BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU
 	depends on BR2_USE_WCHAR # gettext
 	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # fork()
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_LIBGLIB2
-	select BR2_PACKAGE_PIXMAN
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_ZLIB
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_TOOLS if !BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM && !BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_LINUX_USER
 	help
@@ -53,6 +52,7 @@ comment "Emulators selection"
 config BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM
 	bool "Enable systems emulation"
 	depends on !BR2_STATIC_LIBS # dtc
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_PIXMAN
 	help
 	  Say 'y' to build system emulators/virtualisers.
 
diff --git a/package/qemu/qemu.mk b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
index 5c7a8d504c..58b4ff10a5 100644
--- a/package/qemu/qemu.mk
+++ b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ QEMU_DEPENDENCIES = \
 	host-pkgconf \
 	host-python3 \
 	libglib2 \
-	pixman \
 	zlib
 
 # Need the LIBS variable because librt and libm are
@@ -45,6 +44,7 @@ QEMU_VARS = LIBTOOL=$(HOST_DIR)/bin/libtool
 # checks if the specified sub-set is valid.
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM),y)
+QEMU_DEPENDENCIES += pixman
 QEMU_OPTS += --enable-system
 QEMU_TARGET_LIST_$(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_TARGET_AARCH64) += aarch64-softmmu
 QEMU_TARGET_LIST_$(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_TARGET_ALPHA) += alpha-softmmu