diff --git a/package/bridge-utils/bridge-utils.mk b/package/bridge-utils/bridge-utils.mk
index 798202556f..2519227471 100644
--- a/package/bridge-utils/bridge-utils.mk
+++ b/package/bridge-utils/bridge-utils.mk
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@ BRIDGE_UTILS_VERSION = 1.6
 BRIDGE_UTILS_SITE = $(BR2_KERNEL_MIRROR)/linux/utils/net/bridge-utils
 BRIDGE_UTILS_SOURCE = bridge-utils-1.6.tar.xz
 BRIDGE_UTILS_AUTORECONF = YES
-BRIDGE_UTILS_CONF_OPTS = --with-linux-headers=$(LINUX_HEADERS_DIR)
 BRIDGE_UTILS_LICENSE = GPL-2.0+
 BRIDGE_UTILS_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 
+# Avoid using the host's headers. Location is not important as
+# required headers will anyway be found from within the sysroot.
+BRIDGE_UTILS_CONF_OPTS = --with-linux-headers=$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/include
+
 $(eval $(autotools-package))