diff --git a/cmake/modules/FindFTGL.cmake b/cmake/modules/FindFTGL.cmake
index 43cdb74d1ec88..7859ac00c27e6 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/FindFTGL.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/FindFTGL.cmake
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ if(FTGL_FOUND)
       LINK_LIBRARIES ${FTGL_LIBRARY}
       OUTPUT_VARIABLE FTGL_VERSION_API_LOG
   )
-  if (FTGL_VERSION_API)
+  # try_run cannot be used when cross-compiling
+  if (FTGL_VERSION_API AND NOT CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
     try_run(RUN_RESULT COMPILE_RESULT
       "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
       "${FTGL_VERSION_SRC}"