diff --git a/BasiliskII/src/Unix/configure.ac b/BasiliskII/src/Unix/configure.ac
index 6e6ab0c7..2f233d7a 100644
--- a/BasiliskII/src/Unix/configure.ac
+++ b/BasiliskII/src/Unix/configure.ac
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(bincue,
 AC_ARG_WITH(libvhd,   
   AS_HELP_STRING([--with-libvhd], [Enable VHD disk images]))
 
+AC_ARG_WITH(vdeplug,
+  AS_HELP_STRING([--with-vdeplug], [Enable VDE virtual network support]),
+  [],
+  [with_vdeplug=yes])
+
   
 dnl Cross Compiling results in 'guesses' being made about the target system. These defaults are oftetimes incorrect.
 dnl The following Environment variables allow you to configure the default guess value for each option in the configure script.
@@ -323,8 +328,6 @@ else
   SDL_SUPPORT="none"
 fi
 
-LIBS="$CFLAGS -lvdeplug"
-
 dnl We need X11, if not using SDL or Mac GUI.
 if [[ "x$WANT_SDL_VIDEO" = "xno" -a "x$WANT_MACOSX_GUI" = "xno" ]]; then
   AC_PATH_XTRA
@@ -794,6 +797,13 @@ if [[ -n "$CAN_SLIRP" ]]; then
 fi
 AC_SUBST(SLIRP_SRCS)
 
+dnl Is libvdeplug available?
+have_vdeplug=no
+AS_IF([test "x$with_vdeplug" = "xyes"], [
+  have_vdeplug=yes
+  AC_CHECK_LIB(vdeplug, vde_close, [], [have_vdeplug=no])
+])
+
 if [[ "x$WANT_MACOSX_GUI" = "xyes" ]]; then
   CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I../MacOSX"
   LIBS="$LIBS -framework CoreAudio -framework AudioUnit -framework AudioToolbox"
@@ -1855,6 +1865,7 @@ echo Mac OS X Sound ......................... : $WANT_MACOSX_SOUND
 echo SDL support ............................ : $SDL_SUPPORT
 echo BINCUE support ......................... : $have_bincue
 echo LIBVHD support ......................... : $have_libvhd
+echo VDE support ............................ : $have_vdeplug
 echo XFree86 DGA support .................... : $WANT_XF86_DGA
 echo XFree86 VidMode support ................ : $WANT_XF86_VIDMODE
 echo fbdev DGA support ...................... : $WANT_FBDEV_DGA
diff --git a/BasiliskII/src/Unix/ether_unix.cpp b/BasiliskII/src/Unix/ether_unix.cpp
index aff82e4e..87a9f2c5 100644
--- a/BasiliskII/src/Unix/ether_unix.cpp
+++ b/BasiliskII/src/Unix/ether_unix.cpp
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@
 
 #include "sysdeps.h"
 
-extern "C" {
-#include <libvdeplug.h>
-}
 /*
  *  NOTES concerning MacOS X issues:
  *  - poll() does not exist in 10.2.8, but is available in 10.4.4
@@ -72,6 +69,12 @@ extern "C" {
 #include "ctl.h"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBVDEPLUG
+extern "C" {
+#include <libvdeplug.h>
+}
+#endif
+
 #include "cpu_emulation.h"
 #include "main.h"
 #include "macos_util.h"
@@ -119,7 +122,9 @@ static pthread_t slirp_thread;				// Slirp reception thread
 static bool slirp_thread_active = false;	// Flag: Slirp reception threadinstalled
 static int slirp_output_fd = -1;			// fd of slirp output pipe
 static int slirp_input_fds[2] = { -1, -1 };	// fds of slirp input pipe
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBVDEPLUG
 static VDECONN *vde_conn;
+#endif
 #ifdef SHEEPSHAVER
 static bool net_open = false;				// Flag: initialization succeeded, network device open
 static uint8 ether_addr[6];					// Our Ethernet address
@@ -261,10 +266,12 @@ bool ether_init(void)
 		printf("selected Ethernet device type slirp\n");
 	}
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBVDEPLUG
 	else if (strcmp(name, "vde") == 0) {
 		net_if_type = NET_IF_VDE;
 		printf("selected Ethernet device type VDE\n");
 	}
+#endif
 	else {
 		net_if_type = NET_IF_SHEEPNET;
 		printf("selected Ethernet device type sheep_net\n");
@@ -319,6 +326,7 @@ bool ether_init(void)
 		break;
 	}
 
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBVDEPLUG
 	//vde switch information
 	int port = 0;
 	char *init_group = NULL;
@@ -343,6 +351,7 @@ bool ether_init(void)
 			fd = vde_datafd(vde_conn);
 		}
 	}
+#endif
 
 	if (net_if_type != NET_IF_SLIRP && net_if_type != NET_IF_VDE) {
 		fd = open(dev_name, O_RDWR);
@@ -431,6 +440,7 @@ bool ether_init(void)
 		ether_addr[4] = 0x34;
 		ether_addr[5] = 0x56;
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBVDEPLUG
 	} else if (net_if_type == NET_IF_VDE) {
 		ether_addr[0] = 0x52;
 		ether_addr[1] = 0x54;
@@ -438,6 +448,7 @@ bool ether_init(void)
 		ether_addr[3] = 0x12;
 		ether_addr[4] = 0x34;
 		ether_addr[5] = 0x56;
+#endif
 	} else
 		ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFADDR, ether_addr);
 	D(bug("Ethernet address %02x %02x %02x %02x %02x %02x\n", ether_addr[0], ether_addr[1], ether_addr[2], ether_addr[3], ether_addr[4], ether_addr[5]));
@@ -503,9 +514,11 @@ void ether_exit(void)
 	if (slirp_output_fd > 0)
 		close(slirp_output_fd);
 
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBVDEPLUG
 	// Close vde_connection
 	if (net_if_type == NET_IF_VDE)
 		vde_close(vde_conn);
+#endif
 #if STATISTICS
 	// Show statistics
 	printf("%ld messages put on write queue\n", num_wput);
@@ -804,6 +817,7 @@ static int16 ether_do_write(uint32 arg)
 		return noErr;
 	} else
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBVDEPLUG
 	if (net_if_type == NET_IF_VDE) {
 		if (fd == -1) {	// which means vde service is not running
 			D(bug("WARNING: Couldn't transmit VDE packet\n"));
@@ -820,8 +834,9 @@ static int16 ether_do_write(uint32 arg)
 		} while (len < 0);
 
 		return noErr;
-	}
-	else if (write(fd, packet, len) < 0) {
+	} else
+#endif
+	if (write(fd, packet, len) < 0) {
 		D(bug("WARNING: Couldn't transmit packet\n"));
 		return excessCollsns;
 	} else
@@ -995,9 +1010,12 @@ void ether_do_interrupt(void)
 		} else
 #endif
 		{
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBVDEPLUG
 			if (net_if_type == NET_IF_VDE) {
 				length = vde_recv(vde_conn, Mac2HostAddr(packet), 1514, 0);
-			} else {
+			} else
+#endif
+			{
 				// Read packet from sheep_net device
 #if defined(__linux__)
 				length = read(fd, Mac2HostAddr(packet), net_if_type == NET_IF_ETHERTAP ? 1516 : 1514);