diff --git a/neo/SConstruct b/neo/SConstruct
index a06a8dd1..40d2c36c 100644
--- a/neo/SConstruct
+++ b/neo/SConstruct
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ conf_filename='site.conf'
 # choose configuration variables which should be saved between runs
 # ( we handle all those as strings )
 serialized=['CC', 'CXX', 'X86', 'BUILD', 'IDNET_HOST', 'DEDICATED',
-	'DEBUG_MEMORY', 'LIBC_MALLOC', 'ID_NOLANADDRESS', 'ID_MCHECK', 'ALSA',
+	'DEBUG_MEMORY', 'LIBC_MALLOC', 'ID_NOLANADDRESS', 'ID_MCHECK', 'OPENAL', 'ALSA',
 	'TARGET_CORE', 'TARGET_GAME', 'TARGET_D3XP', 'TARGET_MONO', 'TARGET_DEMO', 'NOCURL',
 	'BUILD_ROOT', 'BUILD_GAMEPAK', 'BASEFLAGS' ]
 
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ ID_MCHECK (default 2)
 	note that Doom has it's own block allocator/checking
 	this should not be considered a replacement, but an additional tool
 
+OPENAL (default 1)
+	enable OpenAL sound backend support
+
 ALSA (default 1)
 	enable ALSA sound backend support
 
@@ -176,6 +179,7 @@ LIBC_MALLOC = '1'
 ID_NOLANADDRESS = '0'
 ID_MCHECK = '2'
 BUILD_ROOT = 'build'
+OPENAL = '1'
 ALSA = '1'
 SETUP = '0'
 SDK = '0'
@@ -378,7 +382,7 @@ local_idlibpic = 0
 # switch between base game build and d3xp game build
 local_d3xp = 0
 
-GLOBALS = 'g_env g_env_noopt g_game_env g_os g_cpu g_build ID_MCHECK ALSA idlib_objects game_objects local_dedicated local_gamedll local_demo local_idlibpic local_curl local_d3xp OPTCPPFLAGS'
+GLOBALS = 'g_env g_env_noopt g_game_env g_os g_cpu g_build ID_MCHECK OPENAL ALSA idlib_objects game_objects local_dedicated local_gamedll local_demo local_idlibpic local_curl local_d3xp OPTCPPFLAGS'
 
 # end general configuration ----------------------
 
diff --git a/neo/framework/BuildDefines.h b/neo/framework/BuildDefines.h
index ce72b7d4..37351008 100644
--- a/neo/framework/BuildDefines.h
+++ b/neo/framework/BuildDefines.h
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ If you have questions concerning this license or the applicable additional terms
 #endif
 
 #ifndef ID_OPENAL
-#	if ( defined(_WIN32) || defined(MACOS_X) ) && !defined( ID_DEDICATED )
+#	if !defined( ID_DEDICATED )
 #		define ID_OPENAL 1
 #	else
 #		define ID_OPENAL 0
diff --git a/neo/sys/linux/sound.cpp b/neo/sys/linux/sound.cpp
index 811e8678..419f9c9b 100644
--- a/neo/sys/linux/sound.cpp
+++ b/neo/sys/linux/sound.cpp
@@ -396,5 +396,9 @@ void idAudioHardwareOSS::Write( bool flushing ) {
  -===============
  */
 bool Sys_LoadOpenAL( void ) {
+#if ID_OPENAL
+	return true;
+#else
 	return false;
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/neo/sys/scons/SConscript.core b/neo/sys/scons/SConscript.core
index 9c64efd7..6ecad72c 100644
--- a/neo/sys/scons/SConscript.core
+++ b/neo/sys/scons/SConscript.core
@@ -212,7 +212,6 @@ if ( local_dedicated == 0 ):
 else:
 	sys_string += ' \
 		stub/stub_gl.cpp \
-		stub/openal_stub.cpp \
 		linux/dedicated.cpp'
 
 sys_list = scons_utils.BuildList( 'sys', sys_string )
@@ -233,7 +232,8 @@ local_env = g_env.Clone()
 
 if ( local_dedicated == 1 ):
 	local_env.Append( CPPDEFINES = [ 'ID_DEDICATED' ] )
-	# don't enable alsa for a dedicated server binary
+	# don't enable openal or alsa for a dedicated server binary
+	OPENAL = '0'
 	ALSA = '0'
 
 if ( local_gamedll == 1 ):
@@ -247,6 +247,10 @@ if ( local_curl == 0 ):
 
 sound_env = local_env.Clone()
 sound_list = [ '../linux/sound.cpp' ]
+if ( OPENAL != '1' ):
+	sound_env.Append( CPPDEFINES = 'ID_OPENAL=0' )
+	sound_list.append( '../../sys/stub/openal_stub.cpp' )
+
 if ( g_os == "Linux" and ALSA != '0' ):
 	sound_list.append( '../../sys/linux/sound_alsa.cpp' )
 else:
@@ -266,7 +270,9 @@ if ( local_curl == 1 ):
 if ( local_dedicated == 0 ):
 	local_env.Append( LIBS = [ 'X11', 'Xext', 'Xxf86vm' ] ) # 'Xxf86dga',
 	local_env.Append( LIBPATH = [ '/usr/X11R6/lib' ] )
-#	local_env.Append( LIBS = [ 'openal' ] )
+
+if ( OPENAL == '1' ):
+	local_env.Append( LIBS = [ 'openal' ] )
 
 source_list = core_list
 source_list += idlib_objects