diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ec2aa7d0ca17..0be2012923ac 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -8388,12 +8388,8 @@ AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether to enable HarfBuzz support])
 if test "$_os" != "WINNT" -a "$_os" != "Darwin"; then
     AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
     ENABLE_HARFBUZZ="TRUE"
-    if test "$with_system_harfbuzz" = "yes" -o "$with_system_libs" = "yes"; then
-        if $PKG_CONFIG --atleast-version 0.9.18 harfbuzz; then
-            libo_CHECK_SYSTEM_MODULE([harfbuzz],[HARFBUZZ],[harfbuzz-icu >= 0.9.18])
-        else
-            libo_CHECK_SYSTEM_MODULE([harfbuzz],[HARFBUZZ],[harfbuzz >= 0.9.10])
-        fi
+    if $PKG_CONFIG --atleast-version 0.9.18 harfbuzz; then
+        libo_CHECK_SYSTEM_MODULE([harfbuzz],[HARFBUZZ],[harfbuzz-icu >= 0.9.18])
     else
         libo_CHECK_SYSTEM_MODULE([harfbuzz],[HARFBUZZ],[harfbuzz >= 0.9.10])
     fi