diff --git a/package/apr-util/Config.in b/package/apr-util/Config.in
index 99b32f2b0..895dbb86d 100644
--- a/package/apr-util/Config.in
+++ b/package/apr-util/Config.in
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_APR_UTIL
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_NEON
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_NEON_ZLIB
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_ZLIB
+	# apr really needs shared library support
+	depends on !BR2_PREFER_STATIC_LIB
 	help
 	  The utility library for the apache runtime project
 
diff --git a/package/apr/Config.in b/package/apr/Config.in
index 292cadb67..ed319ed05 100644
--- a/package/apr/Config.in
+++ b/package/apr/Config.in
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 config BR2_PACKAGE_APR
 	bool "apr"
+	# apr really needs shared library support
+	depends on !BR2_PREFER_STATIC_LIB
 	help
 	  The mission of the Apache Portable Runtime (APR) project is to create
 	  and maintain software libraries that provide a predictable and