diff --git a/RepositoryModule_host.mk b/RepositoryModule_host.mk
index 740d5e01528d..ea74705bfabc 100644
--- a/RepositoryModule_host.mk
+++ b/RepositoryModule_host.mk
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ $(eval $(call gb_Module_add_moduledirs,libreoffice,\
 	formula \
 	fpicker \
 	framework \
-	$(call gb_Helper_optional,FREETYPE,freetype) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,GRAPHITE,graphite) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,DESKTOP,helpcompiler) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,HELP,helpcontent2) \
diff --git a/external/Module_external.mk b/external/Module_external.mk
index a21badee7586..287398f49d0b 100644
--- a/external/Module_external.mk
+++ b/external/Module_external.mk
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ $(eval $(call gb_Module_add_moduledirs,external,\
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,EXPAT,expat) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,FIREBIRD,firebird) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,FONTCONFIG,fontconfig) \
+	$(call gb_Helper_optional,FREETYPE,freetype) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,HARFBUZZ,harfbuzz) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,LIBATOMIC_OPS,libatomic_ops) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,LIBPNG,libpng) \
diff --git a/freetype/ExternalPackage_freetype.mk b/external/freetype/ExternalPackage_freetype.mk
similarity index 100%
rename from freetype/ExternalPackage_freetype.mk
rename to external/freetype/ExternalPackage_freetype.mk
diff --git a/freetype/ExternalProject_freetype.mk b/external/freetype/ExternalProject_freetype.mk
similarity index 100%
rename from freetype/ExternalProject_freetype.mk
rename to external/freetype/ExternalProject_freetype.mk
diff --git a/freetype/Makefile b/external/freetype/Makefile
similarity index 100%
rename from freetype/Makefile
rename to external/freetype/Makefile
diff --git a/freetype/Module_freetype.mk b/external/freetype/Module_freetype.mk
similarity index 100%
rename from freetype/Module_freetype.mk
rename to external/freetype/Module_freetype.mk
diff --git a/freetype/README b/external/freetype/README
similarity index 100%
rename from freetype/README
rename to external/freetype/README
diff --git a/freetype/UnpackedTarball_freetype.mk b/external/freetype/UnpackedTarball_freetype.mk
similarity index 93%
rename from freetype/UnpackedTarball_freetype.mk
rename to external/freetype/UnpackedTarball_freetype.mk
index c1ba0ae8a003..600185108de9 100644
--- a/freetype/UnpackedTarball_freetype.mk
+++ b/external/freetype/UnpackedTarball_freetype.mk
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ $(eval $(call gb_UnpackedTarball_set_tarball,freetype,$(FREETYPE_TARBALL),,freet
 $(eval $(call gb_UnpackedTarball_set_patchlevel,freetype,3))
 
 $(eval $(call gb_UnpackedTarball_add_patches,freetype,\
-	freetype/freetype-2.4.8.patch \
+	external/freetype/freetype-2.4.8.patch \
 ))
 
 # vim: set noet sw=4 ts=4:
diff --git a/freetype/freetype-2.4.8.patch b/external/freetype/freetype-2.4.8.patch
similarity index 100%
rename from freetype/freetype-2.4.8.patch
rename to external/freetype/freetype-2.4.8.patch