diff --git a/package/qt/qt.mk b/package/qt/qt.mk
index 3857087dca..3dfdcbf0b2 100644
--- a/package/qt/qt.mk
+++ b/package/qt/qt.mk
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ endif
 QT_QMAKE_CONF:=$(QT_TARGET_DIR)/mkspecs/qws/linux-$(BR2_PACKAGE_QT_EMB_PLATFORM)-g++/qmake.conf
 
 # Variable for other Qt applications to use
-QT_QMAKE:=$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/bin/qmake -spec qws/linux-$(BR2_PACKAGE_QT_EMB_PLATFORM)-g++
+QT_QMAKE:=$(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/qmake -spec qws/linux-$(BR2_PACKAGE_QT_EMB_PLATFORM)-g++
 
 ################################################################################
 # QT_QMAKE_SET -- helper macro to set QMAKE_<variable> = <value> in