diff --git a/package/python-matplotlib/Config.in b/package/python-matplotlib/Config.in
index e6ed8cda2f..cfa0bc30c3 100644
--- a/package/python-matplotlib/Config.in
+++ b/package/python-matplotlib/Config.in
@@ -23,6 +23,18 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_MATPLOTLIB
 
 	  https://matplotlib.org/
 
+if BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_MATPLOTLIB
+
+config BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_MATPLOTLIB_QT
+	bool "qt display"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_QT5 # python-pyqt5
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_PYQT5
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_QT5BASE
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_QT5BASE_FONTCONFIG
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_QT5BASE_WIDGETS
+
+endif
+
 comment "python-matplotlib needs a toolchain w/ C++"
 	depends on !BR2_INSTALL_LIBSTDCPP
 
diff --git a/package/python-matplotlib/python-matplotlib.mk b/package/python-matplotlib/python-matplotlib.mk
index 7082637d09..8d00ac8a07 100644
--- a/package/python-matplotlib/python-matplotlib.mk
+++ b/package/python-matplotlib/python-matplotlib.mk
@@ -13,4 +13,8 @@ PYTHON_MATPLOTLIB_DEPENDENCIES = host-pkgconf freetype host-python-numpy \
 	libpng python-cycler
 PYTHON_MATPLOTLIB_SETUP_TYPE = setuptools
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_MATPLOTLIB_QT),y)
+PYTHON_MATPLOTLIB_DEPENDENCIES += python-pyqt5
+endif
+
 $(eval $(python-package))