diff --git a/RepositoryExternal.mk b/RepositoryExternal.mk
index 20c9ca613174..d6c6fca46c07 100644
--- a/RepositoryExternal.mk
+++ b/RepositoryExternal.mk
@@ -283,6 +283,8 @@ $(call gb_LinkTarget_add_libs,$(1),-lexpat)
 
 endef
 
+gb_ExternalProject__use_expat :=
+
 else # !SYSTEM_EXPAT
 
 $(eval $(call gb_Helper_register_static_libraries,PLAINLIBS, \
@@ -304,6 +306,12 @@ $(call gb_LinkTarget_use_static_libraries,$(1),\
 
 endef
 
+define gb_ExternalProject__use_expat
+$(call gb_ExternalProject_use_package,$(1),expat_inc)
+$(call gb_ExternalProject_use_static_libraries,$(1),expat)
+
+endef
+
 endif # SYSTEM_EXPAT
 
 define gb_LinkTarget__use_expat_utf8