diff --git a/configure b/configure
index d4b4678088..c441695ae7 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -7481,6 +7481,7 @@ DIRECTFB_INC = $_inc_directfb
 DIRECTFB_LIB = $_ld_directfb
 CDPARANOIA_INC = $_inc_cdparanoia
 CDPARANOIA_LIB = $_ld_cdparanoia
+FREETYPE = $_freetype
 FREETYPE_INC = $_inc_freetype
 FREETYPE_LIB = $_ld_freetype
 FONTCONFIG_INC = $_inc_fontconfig
diff --git a/libvo/Makefile b/libvo/Makefile
index 6e7560e699..6851f83fab 100644
--- a/libvo/Makefile
+++ b/libvo/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ LIBNAME = libvo.a
 SRCS=aclib.c \
      aspect.c \
      font_load.c \
-     font_load_ft.c \
      geometry.c \
      osd.c \
      spuenc.c \
@@ -25,6 +24,10 @@ endif
 OBJS_TEMP=$(basename $(SRCS))
 OBJS=$(OBJS_TEMP:%=%.o)
 
+ifeq ($(FREETYPE),yes)
+SRCS += font_load_ft.c
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(VIDIX),yes)
 SRCS += vosub_vidix.c
 endif
diff --git a/libvo/font_load_ft.c b/libvo/font_load_ft.c
index 13e9421319..e1d475f4a8 100644
--- a/libvo/font_load_ft.c
+++ b/libvo/font_load_ft.c
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-#ifdef HAVE_FREETYPE
-
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <math.h>
@@ -1170,5 +1168,3 @@ void load_font_ft(int width, int height)
     vo_font=read_font_desc_ft(font_name, width, height);
 #endif
 }
-
-#endif /* HAVE_FREETYPE */