diff --git a/RepositoryExternal.mk b/RepositoryExternal.mk
index 631466f0001a..b105e1d755d0 100644
--- a/RepositoryExternal.mk
+++ b/RepositoryExternal.mk
@@ -4298,6 +4298,14 @@ endif # ENABLE_ZXING
 endif # SYSTEM_ZXING
 
 
+ifneq ($(SYSTEM_FROZEN),)
+define gb_LinkTarget__use_frozen
+$(call gb_LinkTarget_set_include,$(1),\
+	$$(INCLUDE) \
+	$(FROZEN_CFLAGS)
+)
+endef
+else
 define gb_LinkTarget__use_frozen
 $(call gb_LinkTarget_use_unpacked,$(1),frozen)
 $(call gb_LinkTarget_set_include,$(1),\
@@ -4305,6 +4313,6 @@ $(call gb_LinkTarget_set_include,$(1),\
 	$$(INCLUDE) \
 )
 endef
-
+endif
 
 # vim: set noet sw=4 ts=4:
diff --git a/config_host.mk.in b/config_host.mk.in
index 6a120c2098cc..eb5e751e100b 100644
--- a/config_host.mk.in
+++ b/config_host.mk.in
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ export DOCDIR=@DOCDIR@
 export DOXYGEN=@DOXYGEN@
 export DO_FETCH_TARBALLS=@DO_FETCH_TARBALLS@
 export DRAGONBOX_CFLAGS=@DRAGONBOX_CFLAGS@
+export FROZEN_CFLAGS=@FROZEN_CFLAGS@
 export DPKG=@DPKG@
 export EBOOK_CFLAGS=$(gb_SPACE)@EBOOK_CFLAGS@
 export EBOOK_LIBS=$(gb_SPACE)@EBOOK_LIBS@
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ export ENABLE_DBUS=@ENABLE_DBUS@
 export ENABLE_DCONF=@ENABLE_DCONF@
 export ENABLE_DEBUG=@ENABLE_DEBUG@
 SYSTEM_DRAGONBOX=@SYSTEM_DRAGONBOX@
+SYSTEM_FROZEN=@SYSTEM_FROZEN@
 export ENABLE_EPOXY=@ENABLE_EPOXY@
 export ENABLE_EOT=@ENABLE_EOT@
 export ENABLE_EVOAB2=@ENABLE_EVOAB2@
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4c1efff0799e..af24f1c4fdb5 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2452,6 +2452,11 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(system-dragonbox,
         [Use dragonbox already on system.]),,
     [with_system_dragonbox="$with_system_headers"])
 
+AC_ARG_WITH(system-frozen,
+    AS_HELP_STRING([--with-system-frozen],
+        [Use frozen already on system.]),,
+    [with_system_frozen="$with_system_headers"])
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(system-libfixmath,
     AS_HELP_STRING([--with-system-libfixmath],
         [Use libfixmath already on system.]),,
@@ -10542,6 +10547,27 @@ fi
 AC_SUBST([SYSTEM_DRAGONBOX])
 AC_SUBST([DRAGONBOX_CFLAGS])
 
+dnl ===================================================================
+dnl Check for system frozen
+dnl ===================================================================
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([which frozen to use])
+if test "$with_system_frozen" = "yes"; then
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([external])
+    SYSTEM_FROZEN=TRUE
+    AC_LANG_PUSH([C++])
+    save_CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
+    AC_CHECK_HEADER([frozen/unordered_map.h], [],
+       [AC_MSG_ERROR([frozen/unordered_map.h not found. install frozen headers])], [])
+    AC_LANG_POP([C++])
+    CPPFLAGS=$save_CPPFLAGS
+else
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([internal])
+    BUILD_TYPE="$BUILD_TYPE FROZEN"
+    SYSTEM_FROZEN=
+fi
+AC_SUBST([SYSTEM_FROZEN])
+AC_SUBST([FROZEN_CFLAGS])
+
 dnl ===================================================================
 dnl Check for system libfixmath
 dnl ===================================================================
diff --git a/external/Module_external.mk b/external/Module_external.mk
index cd9c5924d71d..9feb4e21addf 100644
--- a/external/Module_external.mk
+++ b/external/Module_external.mk
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ $(eval $(call gb_Module_add_moduledirs,external,\
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,FONTCONFIG,fontconfig) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,FREEHAND,libfreehand) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,FREETYPE,freetype) \
-	frozen \
+	$(call gb_Helper_optional,FROZEN,frozen) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,GLM,glm) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,GPGMEPP,gpgmepp) \
 	$(call gb_Helper_optional,GRAPHITE,graphite) \