diff --git a/packages/mediacenter/xbmc/build b/packages/mediacenter/xbmc/build
index 601cb410df..90599bf3d7 100755
--- a/packages/mediacenter/xbmc/build
+++ b/packages/mediacenter/xbmc/build
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ $SCRIPTS/build faad2
 $SCRIPTS/build flac
 # $SCRIPTS/build libmpeg2
 # $SCRIPTS/build musepack
-$SCRIPTS/build ffmpeg
 
 $SCRIPTS/build SDL         #?
 $SCRIPTS/build SDL_mixer   #?
@@ -58,11 +57,18 @@ $SCRIPTS/build sqlite
 $SCRIPTS/build mysql #lib  #?
 $SCRIPTS/build samba #lib
 
-XBMC_VDPAU="--disable-vdpau"
-
 if [ "$VDPAU" = yes ]; then
   $SCRIPTS/build libvdpau
   XBMC_VDPAU="--enable-vdpau"
+else
+  XBMC_VDPAU="--disable-vdpau"
+fi
+
+if [ "$FFMPEG" = external ]; then
+  $SCRIPTS/build ffmpeg
+  XBMC_FFMPEG="--enable-external-ffmpeg"
+else
+  XBMC_FFMPEG="--disable-external-ffmpeg"
 fi
 
 LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -lpython2.6"
@@ -94,7 +100,7 @@ autoconf
             --disable-rsxs \
             --enable-avahi \
             --enable-hal \
-            --enable-external-ffmpeg \
+            $XBMC_FFMPEG \
             --disable-external-liba52 \
             --disable-external-libdts \
             --disable-external-libmpeg2 \
diff --git a/packages/mediacenter/xbmc/install b/packages/mediacenter/xbmc/install
index 46f17a3d9c..b1e098e0f6 100755
--- a/packages/mediacenter/xbmc/install
+++ b/packages/mediacenter/xbmc/install
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ $SCRIPTS/install faad2
 $SCRIPTS/install flac
 # $SCRIPTS/install libmpeg2
 # $SCRIPTS/install musepack
-$SCRIPTS/install ffmpeg
+[ "$FFMPEG" = external ] && $SCRIPTS/install ffmpeg
 
 $SCRIPTS/install SDL
 $SCRIPTS/install SDL_mixer