diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1bbb436678a..5934b05487f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@
 
 sinclude user-def.mk
 
-# To try the experimental new python stuff, uncomment the
-# following line, or put it uncommented in user-def.mk:
-# export EXPYTHON=true
+# To build without openAL, uncomment the following line, or set it as
+# an environment variable, or put it uncommented in user-def.mk:
+# export NAN_NO_OPENAL=true
 
 export NANBLENDERHOME=$(shell pwd)
 MAKEFLAGS=-I$(NANBLENDERHOME)/source --no-print-directory
diff --git a/intern/SoundSystem/Makefile b/intern/SoundSystem/Makefile
index e8e95174c95..25f45e37060 100644
--- a/intern/SoundSystem/Makefile
+++ b/intern/SoundSystem/Makefile
@@ -39,20 +39,24 @@ DIR = $(OCGDIR)/$(SOURCEDIR)
 DIRS = intern
 DIRS += dummy
 
-ifeq ($(OS),windows)
-    DIRS += fmod 
-    DIRS += openal
-endif
-#ifeq ($(OS),darwin)
-#    DIRS += fmod 
-#endif
-ifeq ($(OS),freebsd)
-    DIRS += openal
-endif
-ifeq ($(OS),$(findstring $(OS), "linux"))
-  ifeq ($(CPU),i386)
-    DIRS += openal 
+ifneq ($(NAN_NO_OPENAL),true)
+  ifeq ($(OS),windows)
+      DIRS += fmod 
+      DIRS += openal
   endif
+  #ifeq ($(OS),darwin)
+  #    DIRS += fmod 
+  #endif
+  ifeq ($(OS),freebsd)
+    DIRS += openal
+  endif
+  ifeq ($(OS),$(findstring $(OS), "linux"))
+    ifeq ($(CPU),i386)
+      DIRS += openal 
+    endif
+  endif
+else
+  CPPFLAGS += -DNO_SOUND
 endif
 
 include nan_subdirs.mk
diff --git a/intern/SoundSystem/SND_DependKludge.h b/intern/SoundSystem/SND_DependKludge.h
index df30f46b582..b11697cd76f 100644
--- a/intern/SoundSystem/SND_DependKludge.h
+++ b/intern/SoundSystem/SND_DependKludge.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
  * ***** END GPL/BL DUAL LICENSE BLOCK *****
  */
 
+#ifndef NO_SOUND
+
 #  if defined (_WIN32) && !defined(FREE_WINDOWS)
 #define USE_OPENAL
 #elif defined (__linux__)
@@ -55,3 +57,4 @@
 #	endif
 #endif
 
+#endif
diff --git a/source/Makefile b/source/Makefile
index be4cf36ece6..c256a0291ce 100644
--- a/source/Makefile
+++ b/source/Makefile
@@ -343,43 +343,58 @@ ifeq ($(OS),solaris)
 endif
 
 # OpenAL libs are already compiled as shared code! Check FMod if we switch to that. (nzc)
-ifeq ($(OS),$(findstring $(OS), "freebsd linux windows"))
-  ifeq ($(CPU),i386)
-    ifeq ($(OS),freebsd)
-      NAN_SND_LIBS = $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/DummySoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libDummySoundSystem.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/OpenALSoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libOpenALSoundSystem.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(NAN_OPENAL)/lib/libopenal.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-    else
-     NAN_SND_LIBS = $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-     NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/DummySoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libDummySoundSystem.a
-     NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/OpenALSoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libOpenALSoundSystem.a
-     NAN_SND_LIBS += $(NAN_OPENAL)/lib/libopenal.a
-     NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-    endif
-  else
-    ifeq ($(OS),windows)
-      NAN_SND_LIBS = $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/DummySoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libDummySoundSystem.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/OpenALSoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libOpenALSoundSystem.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(NAN_OPENAL)/lib/openal_static.lib
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-    else
-      NAN_SND_LIBS = $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/DummySoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libDummySoundSystem.a
-      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-    endif
-  endif
+
+
+# Some vars to keep the rest of this section mostly readable
+# in an 80 char term
+SOUNDSYSTEM = $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
+DUMMYSOUND  = $(OCGDIR)/intern/DummySoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libDummySoundSystem.a
+OPENALSOUND = $(OCGDIR)/intern/OpenALSoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libOpenALSoundSystem.a
+
+# Some kooky logic going on here ...
+ifeq ($(NAN_NO_OPENAL), true)
+    NAN_SND_LIBS =  $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+    NAN_SND_LIBS += $(DUMMYSOUND)
+    NAN_SND_LIBS += $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
 else
-  ifeq ($(OS),darwin)
-    NAN_SND_LIBS = $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-    NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/DummySoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libDummySoundSystem.a
-    NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
+  ifeq ($(OS),$(findstring $(OS), "freebsd linux windows"))
+    ifeq ($(CPU),i386)
+      ifeq ($(OS),freebsd)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS =  $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(DUMMYSOUND)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OPENALSOUND)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(NAN_OPENAL)/lib/libopenal.a
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+      else
+        NAN_SND_LIBS =  $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(DUMMYSOUND)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OPENALSOUND)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(NAN_OPENAL)/lib/libopenal.a
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+      endif
+    else
+      ifeq ($(OS),windows)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS =  $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(DUMMYSOUND)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OPENALSOUND)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(NAN_OPENAL)/lib/openal_static.lib
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+      else
+        NAN_SND_LIBS =  $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(DUMMYSOUND)
+        NAN_SND_LIBS += $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+      endif
+    endif
   else
-    NAN_SND_LIBS = $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
-    NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/DummySoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libDummySoundSystem.a
-    NAN_SND_LIBS += $(OCGDIR)/intern/SoundSystem/$(DEBUG_DIR)libSoundSystem.a
+    ifeq ($(OS),darwin)
+      NAN_SND_LIBS =  $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(DUMMYSOUND)
+      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+    else
+      NAN_SND_LIBS =  $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(DUMMYSOUND)
+      NAN_SND_LIBS += $(SOUNDSYSTEM)
+    endif
   endif
 endif