diff --git a/3party/3party.pro b/3party/3party.pro
index 6d20222c9b..2917301dfe 100644
--- a/3party/3party.pro
+++ b/3party/3party.pro
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ TEMPLATE = subdirs
 
 SUBDIRS = freetype fribidi zlib bzip2 jansson tomcrypt protobuf
 
-!linux*:android* {
-  SUBDIRS *= expat
-}
+# use expat from the system on linux
+!linux*: SUBDIRS *= expat
 
 !iphone*:!bada*:!android* {
   SUBDIRS += gflags \
diff --git a/coding/coding.pro b/coding/coding.pro
index 5b3ac82ad6..0dce42303b 100644
--- a/coding/coding.pro
+++ b/coding/coding.pro
@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@ include($$ROOT_DIR/common.pri)
 
 INCLUDEPATH *= ../3party/tomcrypt/src/headers ../3party/zlib
 
-!linux*:android* {
-    INCLUDEPATH *= ../3party/expat/lib
-}
+# use expat from the system on linux
+!linux*: INCLUDEPATH *= ../3party/expat/lib
 
 SOURCES += \
     internal/file_data.cpp \
diff --git a/graphics/graphics.pro b/graphics/graphics.pro
index 59c97f3a11..61284ecaaa 100644
--- a/graphics/graphics.pro
+++ b/graphics/graphics.pro
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ DEPENDENCIES = geometry platform coding base freetype fribidi expat
 
 INCLUDEPATH += $$ROOT_DIR/3party/freetype/include $$ROOT_DIR/3party/agg
 
+# use expat from the system on linux
+!linux*: INCLUDEPATH *= ../3party/expat/lib
+
 include($$ROOT_DIR/common.pri)
 
 SOURCES += \
diff --git a/map/map.pro b/map/map.pro
index 3f3cb21864..0a4c93eab3 100644
--- a/map/map.pro
+++ b/map/map.pro
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ INCLUDEPATH += ../3party/protobuf/src
 ROOT_DIR = ..
 DEPENDENCIES = search gui graphics indexer anim geometry coding base expat
 
+# use expat from the system on linux
+!linux*: INCLUDEPATH *= ../3party/expat/lib
+
 include($$ROOT_DIR/common.pri)
 
 HEADERS += \