diff --git a/src/mdlib.c b/src/mdlib.c
index 6648717d4..9599ad8a0 100644
--- a/src/mdlib.c
+++ b/src/mdlib.c
@@ -576,6 +576,9 @@ static const char *const build_opts[] = {
 #ifdef USE_XPM
     "tiles file in XPM format",
 #endif
+#ifdef USE_XFT
+    "font rendering with Xft",
+#endif
 #ifdef GRAPHIC_TOMBSTONE
     "graphical RIP screen",
 #endif
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/linux.500 b/sys/unix/hints/linux.500
index 45da9ee12..656e831e6 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/linux.500
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/linux.500
@@ -410,7 +410,8 @@ X11CFLAGS = -I/opt/X11/include
 # avoid repeated complaints about _X_NONNULL(args...) in <X11/Xfuncproto.h>
 X11CFLAGS += -Wno-variadic-macros
 ifdef USE_XFT
-X11CFLAGS += -DUSE_XFT $(shell pkg-config --cflags xft fontconfig)
+CFLAGS += -DUSE_XFT
+X11CFLAGS += $(shell pkg-config --cflags xft fontconfig)
 WINX11LIB += $(shell pkg-config --libs xft fontconfig)
 endif
 ifdef USE_XPM
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/macOS.500 b/sys/unix/hints/macOS.500
index 223dfb7c3..06646dab0 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/macOS.500
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/macOS.500
@@ -289,7 +289,8 @@ X11CFLAGS = -I/opt/X11/include
 # avoid repeated complaints about _X_NONNULL(args...) in <X11/Xfuncproto.h>
 X11CFLAGS += -Wno-variadic-macros
 ifdef USE_XFT
-X11CFLAGS += -DUSE_XFT $(shell pkg-config --cflags xft fontconfig)
+CFLAGS += -DUSE_XFT
+X11CFLAGS += $(shell pkg-config --cflags xft fontconfig)
 WINX11LIB += $(shell pkg-config --libs xft fontconfig)
 endif
 ifdef USE_XPM