diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f7ae1159..b4d9be64 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -187,28 +187,32 @@ ifndef USE_FREETYPE
 USE_FREETYPE=0
 endif
 
+ifndef USE_INTERNAL_LIBS
+USE_INTERNAL_LIBS=1
+endif
+
 ifndef USE_INTERNAL_SPEEX
-USE_INTERNAL_SPEEX=1
+USE_INTERNAL_SPEEX=$(USE_INTERNAL_LIBS)
 endif
 
 ifndef USE_INTERNAL_OGG
-USE_INTERNAL_OGG=1
+USE_INTERNAL_OGG=$(USE_INTERNAL_LIBS)
 endif
 
 ifndef USE_INTERNAL_OPUS
-USE_INTERNAL_OPUS=1
+USE_INTERNAL_OPUS=$(USE_INTERNAL_LIBS)
 endif
 
 ifndef USE_INTERNAL_ZLIB
-USE_INTERNAL_ZLIB=1
+USE_INTERNAL_ZLIB=$(USE_INTERNAL_LIBS)
 endif
 
 ifndef USE_INTERNAL_JPEG
-USE_INTERNAL_JPEG=1
+USE_INTERNAL_JPEG=$(USE_INTERNAL_LIBS)
 endif
 
 ifndef USE_LOCAL_HEADERS
-USE_LOCAL_HEADERS=1
+USE_LOCAL_HEADERS=$(USE_INTERNAL_LIBS)
 endif
 
 ifndef USE_RENDERER_DLOPEN
diff --git a/README b/README
index 1f4cf49c..9f10163b 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ Makefile.local:
   USE_CODEC_OPUS     - enable Ogg Opus support
   USE_MUMBLE         - enable Mumble support
   USE_VOIP           - enable built-in VoIP support
+  USE_INTERNAL_LIBS  - build internal libraries instead of dynamically
+                       linking against system libraries; this just sets
+		       the default for USE_INTERNAL_SPEEX etc.
+		       and USE_LOCAL_HEADERS
   USE_INTERNAL_SPEEX - build internal speex library instead of dynamically
                        linking against system libspeex
   USE_FREETYPE       - enable FreeType support for rendering fonts