diff --git a/cabal.project b/cabal.project
index fe39a51ab59..6a9d2c9929e 100644
--- a/cabal.project
+++ b/cabal.project
@@ -194,11 +194,23 @@ package cardano-config
 package cardano-node
   flags: -systemd
 
--- Fail to build if there are any unused package dependencies:
-package *
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- Detection of unused package dependencies
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+-- By default, we fail to build if there are any unused package dependencies.
+program-options
   ghc-options: -Wunused-packages
 
--- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- NOTE: We make an exception for `cardano-wallet-primitive`, as for some
+-- reason GHC panics when building this package if the above flag is enabled.
+--
+-- TODO: Investigate this problem further and/or file a GHC bug report.
+--
+package cardano-wallet-primitive
+  ghc-options: -Wno-unused-packages
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- Enable specific tests in this repo
 
 test-show-details: direct