diff --git a/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk b/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
index 3098a81a72..d1abdbdc9e 100644
--- a/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
+++ b/package/util-linux/util-linux.mk
@@ -75,7 +75,13 @@ endif
 # ${usrlib_execdir} (/usr/lib) to ${libdir} (/lib), since both paths are
 # the same when merged usr is in use.
 ifeq ($(BR2_ROOTFS_MERGED_USR),y)
-UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --bindir=/usr/bin --sbindir=/usr/sbin --libdir=/usr/lib
+UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --bindir=/usr/bin --libdir=/usr/lib
+# Ditto for /usr/sbin and /usr/bin when merge sbin is in use
+ifeq ($(BR2_ROOTFS_MERGED_BIN),y)
+UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --sbindir=/usr/bin
+else
+UTIL_LINUX_CONF_OPTS += --sbindir=/usr/sbin
+endif
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_SYSTEMD),y)