diff --git a/package/mesa3d/mesa3d.mk b/package/mesa3d/mesa3d.mk
index 28ff0669e0..cd3a33a38e 100644
--- a/package/mesa3d/mesa3d.mk
+++ b/package/mesa3d/mesa3d.mk
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_MESA3D_OPENGL_GLX),y)
 #  dri          : dri based GLX requires at least one DRI driver || dri based GLX requires shared-glapi
 #  xlib         : xlib conflicts with any dri driver
 #  gallium-xlib : Gallium-xlib based GLX requires at least one gallium driver || Gallium-xlib based GLX requires softpipe or llvmpipe || gallium-xlib conflicts with any dri driver.
-MESA3D_CONF_OPTS += -Dglx=dri
+# Always enable glx-direct; without it, amy GLX applications don't work.
+MESA3D_CONF_OPTS += \
+	-Dglx=dri \
+	-Dglx-direct=true
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_MESA3D_NEEDS_XA),y)
 MESA3D_CONF_OPTS += -Dgallium-xa=enabled
 else
@@ -136,7 +139,6 @@ MESA3D_CONF_OPTS += \
 else
 MESA3D_CONF_OPTS += \
 	-Dshared-glapi=enabled \
-	-Dglx-direct=true \
 	-Ddri-drivers=$(subst $(space),$(comma),$(MESA3D_DRI_DRIVERS-y))
 endif