diff --git a/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.0/AppxManifest.xml.in b/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.0/AppxManifest.xml.in
index 42bac8b8b1..6583bf0643 100644
--- a/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.0/AppxManifest.xml.in
+++ b/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.0/AppxManifest.xml.in
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@
         <SplashScreen Image=\"$${WINRT_MANIFEST.logo_splash}\" />
       </VisualElements>
     </Application>
-  </Applications>
-  <Capabilities>$${WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities}</Capabilities>
-  <Dependencies>$${WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies}</Dependencies>
+  </Applications>$${WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities}$${WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies}
 </Package>
 <!-- Generated by qmake using the $$[QMAKE_XSPEC] mkspec. -->
diff --git a/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.0/WMAppManifest.xml.in b/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.0/WMAppManifest.xml.in
index 968f42fa06..5efb9c7b06 100644
--- a/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.0/WMAppManifest.xml.in
+++ b/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.0/WMAppManifest.xml.in
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@
     Description=\"$${WINRT_MANIFEST.description}\"
     Publisher=\"$${WINRT_MANIFEST.publisher}\"
     PublisherID=\"$${WINRT_MANIFEST.publisherid}\">
-    <IconPath IsRelative=\"true\" IsResource=\"false\">$${WINRT_MANIFEST.logo_medium}</IconPath>
-    <Capabilities>$${WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities}</Capabilities>
+    <IconPath IsRelative=\"true\" IsResource=\"false\">$${WINRT_MANIFEST.logo_medium}</IconPath>$${WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities}
     <Tasks>
       <DefaultTask
         Name=\"_default\"
diff --git a/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.1/AppxManifest.xml.in b/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.1/AppxManifest.xml.in
index fcc4d75b0f..5587ace390 100644
--- a/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.1/AppxManifest.xml.in
+++ b/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/manifests/8.1/AppxManifest.xml.in
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@
         <v2:SplashScreen Image=\"$${WINRT_MANIFEST.logo_splash}\" />
       </v2:VisualElements>
     </Application>
-  </Applications>
-  <Capabilities>$${WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities}</Capabilities>
-  <Dependencies>$${WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies}</Dependencies>
+  </Applications>$${WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities}$${WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies}
 </Package>
 <!-- Generated by qmake using the $$[QMAKE_XSPEC] mkspec. -->
diff --git a/mkspecs/features/winrt/package_manifest.prf b/mkspecs/features/winrt/package_manifest.prf
index 8c2943ec70..a959bc5480 100644
--- a/mkspecs/features/winrt/package_manifest.prf
+++ b/mkspecs/features/winrt/package_manifest.prf
@@ -92,16 +92,28 @@
 
     winphone: INDENT = "$$escape_expand(\\r\\n)    "
     else: INDENT = "$$escape_expand(\\r\\n)  "
+
     # Capabilities are given as a string list and may change with the configuration (network, sensors, etc.)
     WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities = $$unique(WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities)
-    for(CAPABILITY, WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities): \
-        MANIFEST_CAPABILITIES += "  <Capability Name=\"$$CAPABILITY\" />"
-    WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities = $$join(MANIFEST_CAPABILITIES, $$INDENT, $$INDENT, $$INDENT)
+    !isEmpty(WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities)|winphone {
+        MANIFEST_CAPABILITIES += "<Capabilities>"
+        for(CAPABILITY, WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities): \
+            MANIFEST_CAPABILITIES += "  <Capability Name=\"$$CAPABILITY\" />"
+        MANIFEST_CAPABILITIES += "</Capabilities>"
+
+        WINRT_MANIFEST.capabilities = $$join(MANIFEST_CAPABILITIES, $$INDENT, $$INDENT)
+    }
+
     # Dependencies are given as a string list. The CRT dependency is added automatically above.
     WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies = $$unique(WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies)
-    for(DEPENDENCY, WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies): \
-        MANIFEST_DEPENDENCIES += "  <PackageDependency Name=\"$$DEPENDENCY\" />"
-    WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies = $$join(MANIFEST_DEPENDENCIES, $$INDENT, $$INDENT, $$INDENT)
+    !isEmpty(WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies) {
+        MANIFEST_DEPENDENCIES += "<Dependencies>"
+        for(DEPENDENCY, WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies): \
+            MANIFEST_DEPENDENCIES += "  <PackageDependency Name=\"$$DEPENDENCY\" />"
+        MANIFEST_DEPENDENCIES += "</Dependencies>"
+
+        WINRT_MANIFEST.dependencies = $$join(MANIFEST_DEPENDENCIES, $$INDENT, $$INDENT)
+    }
 
     # Provide default icons where needed
     isEmpty(WINRT_ASSETS_PATH): WINRT_ASSETS_PATH = $$[QT_HOST_DATA/get]/mkspecs/common/winrt_winphone/assets