diff --git a/package/libxml2/libxml2.mk b/package/libxml2/libxml2.mk
index fde3735b8..0c84652dd 100644
--- a/package/libxml2/libxml2.mk
+++ b/package/libxml2/libxml2.mk
@@ -26,7 +26,12 @@ LIBXML2_POST_INSTALL_STAGING_HOOKS += LIBXML2_STAGING_LIBXML2_CONFIG_FIXUP
 
 HOST_LIBXML2_DEPENDENCIES = host-pkgconf
 
+# mesa3d uses functions that are only available with debug
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_MESA3D),y)
+HOST_LIBXML2_CONF_OPT = --with-debug
+else
 HOST_LIBXML2_CONF_OPT = --without-debug
+endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LIBXML2_PYTHON),y)
 HOST_LIBXML2_DEPENDENCIES += host-python