diff --git a/release/scripts/freestyle/modules/export_svg.py b/release/scripts/freestyle/modules/export_svg.py
index 777fc736d20..9d6e13f4bd6 100644
--- a/release/scripts/freestyle/modules/export_svg.py
+++ b/release/scripts/freestyle/modules/export_svg.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import bpy
 import xml.etree.cElementTree as et
 
 from bpy.path import abspath
-from bpy.app.handlers import persistent
 from bpy_extras.object_utils import world_to_camera_view
 
 from freestyle.types import StrokeShader, BinaryPredicate1D, Interface0DIterator
@@ -266,12 +265,10 @@ def indent_xml(elem, level=0, indentsize=4):
 
 
 # - callbacks - #
-@persistent
+# called from: bpy.app.handlers.render_init
 def svg_export_header(scene):
-    render = scene.render
-    if not (render.use_freestyle and render.use_svg_export):
-        return
     # create new file (overwrite existing)
+    render = scene.render
     width, height = render.resolution_x, render.resolution_y
     scale = render.resolution_percentage / 100
 
@@ -283,16 +280,15 @@ def svg_export_header(scene):
         print("SVG export: invalid path")
 
 
-@persistent
+# called from: bpy.app.handlers.render_complete
 def svg_export_animation(scene):
-    """makes an animation of the exported SVG file """
+    # makes an animation of the exported SVG file
     render = scene.render
-    if render.use_freestyle and render.use_svg_export and render.svg_mode == 'ANIMATION':
-        write_animation(abspath(render.svg_path), scene.frame_start, render.fps)
+    write_animation(abspath(render.svg_path), scene.frame_start, render.fps)
 
 
 def write_animation(filepath, frame_begin, fps=25):
-    """Adds animate tags to the specified file."""
+    # Adds animate tags to the specified file.
     tree = et.parse(filepath)
     root = tree.getroot()
 
diff --git a/release/scripts/startup/freestyle_builtins.py b/release/scripts/startup/freestyle_builtins.py
index 25d30771e39..b6493e86979 100644
--- a/release/scripts/startup/freestyle_builtins.py
+++ b/release/scripts/startup/freestyle_builtins.py
@@ -20,15 +20,39 @@
 
 import bpy
 
-from export_svg import svg_export_header, svg_export_animation
+if bpy.app.build_options.freestyle:
+    from bpy.app.handlers import persistent
 
-def register():
-    bpy.app.handlers.render_init.append(svg_export_header)
-    bpy.app.handlers.render_complete.append(svg_export_animation)
+    @persistent
+    def freestyle_render_init(scene):
+        render = scene.render
+        if render.use_freestyle:
+            if render.use_svg_export:
+                from export_svg import svg_export_header
+                svg_export_header(scene)
 
-def unregister():
-    bpy.app.handlers.render_init.remove(svg_export_header)
-    bpy.app.handlers.render_complete.remove(svg_export_animation)
+    @persistent
+    def freestyle_render_complete(scene):
+        render = scene.render
+        if render.use_freestyle:
+            if render.use_svg_export and render.svg_mode == 'ANIMATION':
+                from export_svg import svg_export_animation
+                svg_export_animation(scene)
+
+    def register():
+        bpy.app.handlers.render_init.append(freestyle_render_init)
+        bpy.app.handlers.render_complete.append(freestyle_render_complete)
+
+    def unregister():
+        bpy.app.handlers.render_init.remove(freestyle_render_init)
+        bpy.app.handlers.render_complete.remove(freestyle_render_complete)
+
+else:
+    def register():
+        pass
+
+    def unregister():
+        pass
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     register()