diff --git a/package/mosquitto/Config.in b/package/mosquitto/Config.in
index cb1c037daa..417745873b 100644
--- a/package/mosquitto/Config.in
+++ b/package/mosquitto/Config.in
@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_MOSQUITTO
 
 if BR2_PACKAGE_MOSQUITTO
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_MOSQUITTO_CLIENTS
+	bool "install clients"
+	default y  # Backward compatibility
+	help
+	  Install CLI tools to publish/subscribe to the broker:
+	    mosquitto_pub
+	    mosquitto_sub
+	    mosquitto_rr
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_MOSQUITTO_BROKER
 	bool "install the mosquitto broker"
 	default y
diff --git a/package/mosquitto/mosquitto.mk b/package/mosquitto/mosquitto.mk
index 6e9ad434ba..62934966ca 100644
--- a/package/mosquitto/mosquitto.mk
+++ b/package/mosquitto/mosquitto.mk
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ MOSQUITTO_CONF_OPTS = \
 	-DWITH_TESTS=OFF \
 	-DWITH_STATIC_LIBRARIES=OFF \
 	-DWITH_BUNDLED_DEPS=ON \
-	-DWITH_CLIENTS=ON \
 	-DWITH_HTTP_API=OFF \
 	-DWITH_CTRL_SHELL=OFF
 
@@ -70,6 +69,12 @@ else
 MOSQUITTO_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_LIB_CPP=OFF
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_MOSQUITTO_CLIENTS),y)
+MOSQUITTO_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_CLIENTS=ON
+else
+MOSQUITTO_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_CLIENTS=OFF
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_MOSQUITTO_BROKER),y)
 
 MOSQUITTO_CONF_OPTS += \