diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index cedfebe4f..5d2e6ecee 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(CAIRO_HAS_DL, test "x$have_dl" = "xyes")
 if test "x$have_dlsym" = "xyes"; then
   AC_DEFINE([CAIRO_HAS_DLSYM], 1, [Define to 1 if dlsym is available])
 fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(CAIRO_HAS_DLSYM, test "x$have_dlsym" = "xyes")
 
 dnl ===========================================================================
 
diff --git a/util/Makefile.am b/util/Makefile.am
index f202f3507..82d0a804c 100644
--- a/util/Makefile.am
+++ b/util/Makefile.am
@@ -12,20 +12,24 @@ endif
 
 if CAIRO_HAS_TRACE
 SUBDIRS += cairo-trace
+if CAIRO_HAS_DLSYM
 if CAIRO_HAS_SCRIPT_SURFACE
 if CAIRO_HAS_TEE_SURFACE
 SUBDIRS += cairo-fdr
 endif
 endif
 endif
+endif
 
 if BUILD_SPHINX
+if CAIRO_HAS_DLSYM
 if CAIRO_HAS_SCRIPT_SURFACE
 if CAIRO_HAS_TEE_SURFACE
 SUBDIRS += cairo-sphinx
 endif
 endif
 endif
+endif
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src \
 	      -I$(top_builddir)/src \