diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4fdab444..d45f0737 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([EDNS_COOKIE_ROLLOVER_TIME], [(24 * 60 * 60)], [How often the
 
 # search to set include and library paths right
 # find libidn
+my_with_libidn=1
 AC_ARG_WITH(libidn, AS_HELP_STRING([--with-libidn=pathname],
 	[path to libidn (default: search /usr/local ..)]),
 	[], [withval="yes"])
@@ -236,6 +237,8 @@ else
 	if test x_$withval != x_no; then
 		CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$withval/include"
 		LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L$withval/lib"
+	else
+		my_with_libidn=0
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -287,19 +290,23 @@ fi
 found_all_libs=1
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([Checking for dependency ldns])
 AC_CHECK_LIB([ldns], [ldns_dname_new_frm_str], [], [found_all_libs=0])
-AC_MSG_NOTICE([Checking for dependency libidn])
-AC_CHECK_LIB([idn], [idna_to_ascii_8z], [], [found_all_libs=0])
+
+if test $my_with_libidn = 1
+then
+	AC_MSG_NOTICE([Checking for dependency libidn])
+	AC_CHECK_LIB([idn], [idna_to_ascii_8z], [], [found_all_libs=0])
+fi
 
 AC_CHECK_MEMBER([struct ldns_struct_dnssec_zone.hashed_names],
 [AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([LDNS_DNSSEC_ZONE_HASHED_NAMES], [1], [When defined ldns_dnssec_zone contained the hashed_names member.])], [], [[#include <ldns/ldns.h>]])
 
-if test $my_with_libunbound == 1
+if test $my_with_libunbound = 1
 then
 	AC_MSG_NOTICE([Checking for dependency libunbound])
 	AC_CHECK_LIB([unbound], [ub_fd], [], [found_all_libs=0])
 fi
 
-if test $found_all_libs == 0
+if test $found_all_libs = 0
 then
     AC_MSG_ERROR([One more dependencies is missing])
 fi
diff --git a/src/convert.c b/src/convert.c
index a6b327d0..09ef70a2 100644
--- a/src/convert.c
+++ b/src/convert.c
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <locale.h>
 #include <stringprep.h>
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBIDN
 #include <idna.h>
+#endif
 #include "getdns/getdns.h"
 #include "getdns/getdns_extra.h"
 #include "util-internal.h"
@@ -102,6 +104,7 @@ getdns_convert_fqdn_to_dns_name(
 char *
 getdns_convert_ulabel_to_alabel(const char *ulabel)
 {
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBIDN
     int ret;
     char *buf;
     char *prepped;
@@ -139,6 +142,9 @@ getdns_convert_ulabel_to_alabel(const char *ulabel)
     }
     free(prepped2);
     return buf;
+#else
+    return NULL;
+#endif
 }
 
 /*---------------------------------------- getdns_convert_alabel_to_ulabel */
@@ -155,6 +161,7 @@ getdns_convert_ulabel_to_alabel(const char *ulabel)
 char *
 getdns_convert_alabel_to_ulabel(const char *alabel)
 {
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBIDN
     int  ret;              /* just in case we might want to use it someday */
     char *buf;
 
@@ -164,6 +171,9 @@ getdns_convert_alabel_to_ulabel(const char *alabel)
         return NULL;
     }
     return buf;
+#else
+    return NULL;
+#endif
 }