diff --git a/lang/php7/Makefile b/lang/php7/Makefile
index 510ef6b4..b3cd36da 100644
--- a/lang/php7/Makefile
+++ b/lang/php7/Makefile
@@ -254,7 +254,13 @@ else
 endif
 
 ifneq ($(SDK)$(CONFIG_PACKAGE_php7-mod-iconv),)
-  CONFIGURE_ARGS+= --with-iconv=shared,"$(ICONV_PREFIX)"
+  ifeq ($(CONFIG_BUILD_NLS),y)
+    CONFIGURE_VARS+= iconv_impl_name="gnu_libiconv"
+    CONFIGURE_ARGS+= --with-iconv=shared,"$(ICONV_PREFIX)"
+  else
+    CONFIGURE_VARS+= ac_cv_func_iconv=yes
+    CONFIGURE_ARGS+= --with-iconv=shared
+  endif
 else
   CONFIGURE_ARGS+= --without-iconv
 endif
@@ -471,7 +477,6 @@ endif
 CONFIGURE_VARS+= \
 	ac_cv_c_bigendian_php=$(if $(CONFIG_BIG_ENDIAN),yes,no) \
 	php_cv_cc_rpath="no" \
-	iconv_impl_name="gnu_libiconv" \
 	ac_cv_php_xml2_config_path="$(STAGING_DIR)/host/bin/xml2-config" \
 	ac_cv_u8t_decompose=yes \
 	ac_cv_have_pcre2_jit=no