diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4c010f4d2..5c90c5400 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1409,6 +1409,7 @@ if test "x$HAVE_ZLIB" = xyes; then
 	fi
 fi
 AC_SUBST(Z_LIBS)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_ZLIB, test "$HAVE_ZLIB" = "yes")
 
 dnl ==================================================================
 dnl Find out what to build
diff --git a/cs-code/Makefile.am b/cs-code/Makefile.am
index d7e8475c1..951c2dfc1 100644
--- a/cs-code/Makefile.am
+++ b/cs-code/Makefile.am
@@ -8,13 +8,24 @@ pkgdatadir=@sharepath@/id1
 QFCC=$(top_builddir)/tools/qfcc/source/qfcc
 QCFLAGS=-g -Werror
 QCPPFLAGS=-I. -I$(srcdir) -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+GZIP=if echo $@ | grep -q .gz; then gzip -fv `basename $@ .gz`; if test -f `basename $@ .dat.gz`.sym; then gzip -fv9 `basename $@ .dat.gz`.sym; fi; fi
+if HAVE_ZLIB
+GZ=.gz
+else
+GZ=
+endif
 
-pkgdata_DATA= menu.dat
+pkgdata_DATA= menu.dat$(GZ)
 
-menu_src= menu.qc menu_pics.qc menu_util.qc servlist.qc options.qc cbuf_def.qc cvar_def.qc draw_def.qc file_def.qc game_def.qc inputline_def.qc inputline_util.qc key_defs.qc menu_def.qc options_util.qc string_def.qc controls_o.qc stringh_def.qc
+menu_src= \
+	cbuf_def.qc controls_o.qc cvar_def.qc draw_def.qc file_def.qc \
+	game_def.qc inputline_def.qc inputline_util.qc key_defs.qc menu.qc \
+	menu_def.qc menu_pics.qc menu_util.qc options.qc options_util.qc \
+	servlist.qc string_def.qc stringh_def.qc
 
-menu.dat: menu.src $(menu_src)
+menu.dat$(GZ): menu.src $(menu_src)
 	$(QFCC) $(QCFLAGS) $(QCPPFLAGS) -P $<
+	$(GZIP)
 
 EXTRA_DIST= $(menu_src)
-CLEANFILES= *.dat *.sym
+CLEANFILES= *.dat *.sym *.gz