diff --git a/gnu/local.mk b/gnu/local.mk
index d4a6b59e34..54b23c06d9 100644
--- a/gnu/local.mk
+++ b/gnu/local.mk
@@ -1009,6 +1009,7 @@ dist_patch_DATA =						\
   %D%/packages/patches/elixir-path-length.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/elm-compiler-disable-reactor.patch	\
   %D%/packages/patches/elm-compiler-fix-map-key.patch		\
+  %D%/packages/patches/elogind-revert-polkit-detection.patch	\
   %D%/packages/patches/emacs-exec-path.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/emacs-fix-scheme-indent-function.patch	\
   %D%/packages/patches/emacs-ignore-empty-xim-styles.patch	\
diff --git a/gnu/packages/freedesktop.scm b/gnu/packages/freedesktop.scm
index 06b1fc952c..1d8a4c0bbb 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/freedesktop.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/freedesktop.scm
@@ -591,7 +591,9 @@ the freedesktop.org XDG Base Directory specification.")
               (file-name (git-file-name name version))
               (sha256
                (base32
-                "16045bhpwjq2nqgswln67ipg1zrz2djxlgkfngqng3jqpwagmnzq"))))
+                "16045bhpwjq2nqgswln67ipg1zrz2djxlgkfngqng3jqpwagmnzq"))
+              (patches (search-patches
+                        "elogind-revert-polkit-detection.patch"))))
     (build-system meson-build-system)
     (arguments
      `(#:configure-flags
diff --git a/gnu/packages/patches/elogind-revert-polkit-detection.patch b/gnu/packages/patches/elogind-revert-polkit-detection.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..43dd1684b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnu/packages/patches/elogind-revert-polkit-detection.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+From 715ce0a6459e418f92e74c7ce52df3244c18f383 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: Sven Eden <sven.eden@prydeworx.com>
+Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2021 08:40:08 +0100
+Subject: [PATCH] Revert "Disable polkit support if libpolkit is not installed"
+
+This reverts commit 1194dec4f8f2d1b8bd14e1625f34418ecfce817e.
+
+Removing polkit support with -Dpolkit=auto when libpolkit is not
+installed, removes the whole interface. This makes it impossible to
+add polkit support as a runtime dependency.
+
+Bug: #167
+Closes: #206
+Signed-off-by: Sven Eden <sven.eden@prydeworx.com>
+---
+ meson.build | 9 ---------
+ 1 file changed, 9 deletions(-)
+
+diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
+index 2dd05db3c..f38551f55 100644
+--- a/meson.build
++++ b/meson.build
+@@ -1157,15 +1157,6 @@ if want_polkit != 'false' and not skip_deps
+                 message('Old polkit detected, will install pkla files')
+                 install_polkit_pkla = true
+         endif
+-#if 1 /// Disable polkit completely if libpolkit is not there. See elogind issue #167
+-        if not libpolkit.found()
+-                if want_polkit != 'auto'
+-                        error('Polkit requested but libpolkit was not found.')
+-                endif
+-                install_polkit = false
+-                want_polkit    = false
+-        endif
+-#endif // 1
+ endif
+ conf.set10('ENABLE_POLKIT', install_polkit)
+ 
+-- 
+2.33.1
+