diff --git a/bin/BuildSystem/CMakeBuildSystem.py b/bin/BuildSystem/CMakeBuildSystem.py
--- a/bin/BuildSystem/CMakeBuildSystem.py
+++ b/bin/BuildSystem/CMakeBuildSystem.py
@@ -60,8 +60,9 @@
 
         if OsUtils.isMac():
             options += f" -DKDE_INSTALL_BUNDLEDIR=\"{OsUtils.toUnixPath(CraftCore.standardDirs.craftRoot())}/Applications/KDE\" -DAPPLE_SUPPRESS_X11_WARNING=ON"
-            # Ensure that we don't depend on SDK features only present on newer systems
-            options += " -DCMAKE_OSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=" + CraftCore.compiler.macOSDeploymentTarget
+            if CraftCore.compiler.macUseSDK:
+                # Ensure that we don't depend on SDK features only present on newer systems
+                options += " -DCMAKE_OSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=" + CraftCore.compiler.macOSDeploymentTarget
 
         if CraftCore.compiler.isWindows or CraftCore.compiler.isMacOS:
             options += " -DKDE_INSTALL_USE_QT_SYS_PATHS=ON"
diff --git a/bin/CraftCompiler.py b/bin/CraftCompiler.py
--- a/bin/CraftCompiler.py
+++ b/bin/CraftCompiler.py
@@ -151,9 +151,15 @@
 
     @property
     def macOSDeploymentTarget(self) -> str:
-        assert self.isMacOS
+        assert self.macUseSDK
         return "10.11"
 
+    @property
+    def macUseSDK(self) -> bool:
+        assert self.isMacOS
+        """Whether to compile against the macOS SDK instead of the libraries in /usr (off by default)"""
+        return CraftCore.settings.getboolean("MacSDK", "Enabled", "False")
+
     @property
     def isWindows(self) -> bool:
         return self.platform == CraftCompiler.Platforms.Windows
@@ -306,3 +312,7 @@
         print("Compiler Version: %s" % CraftCore.compiler.getGCCLikeVersion(CraftCore.compiler.compiler.name))
         if CraftCore.compiler.isGCC():
             print("Compiler Target: %s" % CraftCore.compiler._getGCCTarget())
+    if CraftCore.compiler.isMacOS:
+        print("Using SDK for macOS:", CraftCore.compiler.macUseSDK)
+        if CraftCore.compiler.macUseSDK:
+            print("macOS SDK deployment target:", CraftCore.compiler.macOSDeploymentTarget)
diff --git a/bin/shells.py b/bin/shells.py
--- a/bin/shells.py
+++ b/bin/shells.py
@@ -38,12 +38,18 @@
                 # libraries installed by homebrew (causes errors e.g. with iconv since headers will be
                 # found in /usr/local/include first but libraries are searched for in /usr/lib before
                 # /usr/local/lib. See https://langui.sh/2015/07/24/osx-clang-include-lib-search-paths/
-                sdkPath = CraftCore.cache.getCommandOutput("xcrun", "--show-sdk-path")[1].strip()
-                deploymentFlag = "-mmacosx-version-min=" + CraftCore.compiler.macOSDeploymentTarget
-                cflags = f" -isysroot {sdkPath} {deploymentFlag}" + cflags
-                # See https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/issues/2674 for the -no_weak_imports flag
-                ldflags = f" -isysroot {sdkPath} {deploymentFlag} -Wl,-no_weak_imports" + ldflags
-                # Note: MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET is set in utils.system() so doesn't need to be set here
+                if CraftCore.compiler.macUseSDK:
+                    sdkPath = CraftCore.cache.getCommandOutput("xcrun", "--show-sdk-path")[1].strip()
+                    deploymentFlag = "-mmacosx-version-min=" + CraftCore.compiler.macOSDeploymentTarget
+                    cflags = f" -isysroot {sdkPath} {deploymentFlag}" + cflags
+                    # See https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/issues/2674 for the -no_weak_imports flag
+                    ldflags = f" -isysroot {sdkPath} {deploymentFlag} -Wl,-no_weak_imports" + ldflags
+                    # Note: MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET is set in utils.system() so doesn't need to be set here
+                else:
+                    # Ensure that /usr/include comes before /usr/local/include in the header search path to avoid
+                    # pulling in headers from /usr/local/include (e.g. installed by homebrew) that will cause
+                    # linker errors later.
+                    cflags = " -isystem /usr/include " + cflags
 
             if CraftCore.compiler.isMSVC():
                 # based on Windows-MSVC.cmake
diff --git a/bin/utils.py b/bin/utils.py
--- a/bin/utils.py
+++ b/bin/utils.py
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@
         CraftCore.log.debug(f"executing command: {cmd!r}")
     CraftCore.log.debug(f"CWD: {cwd!r}")
     CraftCore.log.debug(f"displayProgress={displayProgress}")
-    if CraftCore.compiler.isMacOS:
+    if CraftCore.compiler.macUseSDK:
         environment["MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET"] = CraftCore.compiler.macOSDeploymentTarget
     CraftCore.debug.logEnv(environment)
     if pipeProcess: