diff --git a/package/harfbuzz/Config.in b/package/harfbuzz/Config.in
index a6db9840cc..e8f407bb8f 100644
--- a/package/harfbuzz/Config.in
+++ b/package/harfbuzz/Config.in
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_HARFBUZZ
 	bool "harfbuzz"
 	depends on BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP
 	depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_SYNC_4
+	depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_GCC_AT_LEAST_4_8
 	help
 	  HarfBuzz is an OpenType text shaping engine
 
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_HARFBUZZ
 	  Harfbuzz can make optional use of cairo, freetype,
 	  glib2 and icu packages if they are selected.
 
-comment "harfbuzz needs a toolchain w/ C++"
+comment "harfbuzz needs a toolchain w/ C++, gcc => 4.8"
 	depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_SYNC_4
-	depends on !BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP
+	depends on !BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP || \
+		!BR2_TOOLCHAIN_GCC_AT_LEAST_4_8