diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 35c0dc9b9..d7763c3e3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -165,9 +165,9 @@ jobs:
     - name: Build macOS
       run: |
         export JAVA_HOME=$JAVA_HOME_11_X64
-        # Skip freetype build on jdk11+
+        # jdk11u+ uses two part exploded & assemble build
         if [ ${{ matrix.version.name }} != "jdk8u" ]; then
-          export BUILD_ARGS="--skip-freetype --make-exploded-image --create-sbom"
+          export BUILD_ARGS="--make-exploded-image --create-sbom"
           ./build-farm/make-adopt-build-farm.sh
           export BUILD_ARGS="--assemble-exploded-image --create-sbom"
           ./build-farm/make-adopt-build-farm.sh
diff --git a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/aix.sh b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/aix.sh
index 2babd73a5..fea9acefb 100755
--- a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/aix.sh
+++ b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/aix.sh
@@ -59,12 +59,17 @@ then
   export CONFIGURE_ARGS_FOR_ANY_PLATFORM="${CONFIGURE_ARGS_FOR_ANY_PLATFORM} --with-extra-ldflags=-lpthread --with-extra-cflags=-lpthread --with-extra-cxxflags=-lpthread"
 fi
 
-export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --skip-freetype"
+if [[ "$JAVA_FEATURE_VERSION" -ge 21 ]]; then
+  # jdk-21+ uses "bundled" FreeType
+  export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --freetype-dir bundled"
+else
+  export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --skip-freetype"
+fi
 
 if [ "${VARIANT}" == "${BUILD_VARIANT_OPENJ9}" ]; then
   export LDR_CNTRL=MAXDATA=0x80000000
 fi
-echo LDR_CNTRL=$LDR_CNTRL
+echo LDR_CNTRL="$LDR_CNTRL"
 
 BOOT_JDK_VARIABLE="JDK${JDK_BOOT_VERSION}_BOOT_DIR"
 if [ ! -d "$(eval echo "\$$BOOT_JDK_VARIABLE")" ]; then
diff --git a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/alpine-linux.sh b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/alpine-linux.sh
index 5aee36e90..1b3eedbcf 100644
--- a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/alpine-linux.sh
+++ b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/alpine-linux.sh
@@ -28,8 +28,13 @@ fi
 # ccache seems flaky on alpine
 export CONFIGURE_ARGS_FOR_ANY_PLATFORM="${CONFIGURE_ARGS_FOR_ANY_PLATFORM} --disable-ccache"
 
-# We don't bundle freetype on alpine anymore, and expect the user to have it.
-export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --skip-freetype"
+if [[ "$JAVA_FEATURE_VERSION" -ge 21 ]]; then
+  # jdk-21+ uses "bundled" FreeType
+  export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --freetype-dir bundled"
+else
+  # We don't bundle freetype on alpine anymore, and expect the user to have it.
+  export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --skip-freetype"
+fi
 
 BOOT_JDK_VARIABLE="JDK${JDK_BOOT_VERSION}_BOOT_DIR"
 if [ ! -d "$(eval echo "\$$BOOT_JDK_VARIABLE")" ]; then
diff --git a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/linux.sh b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/linux.sh
index 3fea89ac3..655cd16c0 100755
--- a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/linux.sh
+++ b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/linux.sh
@@ -18,8 +18,14 @@
 SCRIPT_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
 # shellcheck source=sbin/common/constants.sh
 source "$SCRIPT_DIR/../../sbin/common/constants.sh"
-# Bundling our own freetype can cause problems, so we skip that on linux.
-export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --skip-freetype"
+
+if [[ "$JAVA_FEATURE_VERSION" -ge 21 ]]; then
+  # jdk-21+ uses "bundled" FreeType
+  export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --freetype-dir bundled"
+else
+  # Bundling our own freetype can cause problems, so we skip that on linux.
+  export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --skip-freetype"
+fi
 
 NATIVE_API_ARCH=$(uname -m)
 if [ "${NATIVE_API_ARCH}" = "x86_64" ]; then NATIVE_API_ARCH=x64; fi
diff --git a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/mac.sh b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/mac.sh
index e99a06366..7283ceb82 100755
--- a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/mac.sh
+++ b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/mac.sh
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ else
   fi
 fi
 
+if [[ "$JAVA_FEATURE_VERSION" -ge 21 ]]; then
+  # jdk-21+ uses "bundled" FreeType
+  export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --freetype-dir bundled"
+fi
+
 # The configure option '--with-macosx-codesign-identity' is supported in JDK8 OpenJ9 and JDK11 and JDK14+
 if [[ ( "$JAVA_FEATURE_VERSION" -eq 11 ) || ( "$JAVA_FEATURE_VERSION" -ge 14 ) ]]
 then
diff --git a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/windows.sh b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/windows.sh
index e41514035..25d5756a8 100755
--- a/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/windows.sh
+++ b/build-farm/platform-specific-configurations/windows.sh
@@ -231,6 +231,11 @@ then
   fi
 fi
 
+if [[ "$JAVA_FEATURE_VERSION" -ge 21 ]]; then
+  # jdk-21+ uses "bundled" FreeType
+  export BUILD_ARGS="${BUILD_ARGS} --freetype-dir bundled"
+fi
+
 if [ "${ARCHITECTURE}" == "aarch64" ]; then
   export CONFIGURE_ARGS_FOR_ANY_PLATFORM="${CONFIGURE_ARGS_FOR_ANY_PLATFORM} --disable-ccache --openjdk-target=aarch64-unknown-cygwin"
 fi
diff --git a/test/functional/buildAndPackage/src/net/adoptium/test/BundledFreetypeTest.java b/test/functional/buildAndPackage/src/net/adoptium/test/BundledFreetypeTest.java
index baf413120..a6e103201 100644
--- a/test/functional/buildAndPackage/src/net/adoptium/test/BundledFreetypeTest.java
+++ b/test/functional/buildAndPackage/src/net/adoptium/test/BundledFreetypeTest.java
@@ -74,7 +74,11 @@ public void freetypeOnlyBundledOnCertainPlatforms() throws IOException {
                 .filter(name -> freetypePattern.matcher(name).matches())
                 .collect(Collectors.toSet());
 
-        if (jdkPlatform.runsOn(OperatingSystem.MACOS)) {
+        if (jdkVersion.isNewerOrEqual(21)) {
+            // jdk-21+ uses "bundled" FreeType
+            assertTrue(freetypeFiles.size() > 0,
+              "Expected libfreetype.dylib to be bundled but it is not.");
+        } else if (jdkPlatform.runsOn(OperatingSystem.MACOS)) {
             assertTrue(freetypeFiles.size() > 0,
               "Expected libfreetype.dylib to be bundled but it is not.");
         } else if (jdkPlatform.runsOn(OperatingSystem.WINDOWS)) {