--- a/src/luaconf.h
+++ b/src/luaconf.h
@@ -61,14 +61,12 @@
 #if defined(LUA_USE_LINUX)
 #define LUA_USE_POSIX
 #define LUA_USE_DLOPEN		/* needs an extra library: -ldl */
-#define LUA_USE_READLINE	/* needs some extra libraries */
 #endif
 
 
 #if defined(LUA_USE_MACOSX)
 #define LUA_USE_POSIX
 #define LUA_USE_DLOPEN		/* MacOS does not need -ldl */
-#define LUA_USE_READLINE	/* needs an extra library: -lreadline */
 #endif
 
 
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ MYCFLAGS=
 MYLDFLAGS=
 MYLIBS=
 MYOBJS=
+# USE_READLINE=1
 
 # == END OF USER SETTINGS -- NO NEED TO CHANGE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE =======
 
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ echo:
 
 # Convenience targets for popular platforms
 ALL= all
+RFLAG=$(if $(USE_READLINE),-DLUA_USE_READLINE)
 
 none:
 	@echo "Please do 'make PLATFORM' where PLATFORM is one of these:"
@@ -115,15 +117,15 @@ c89:
 
 
 freebsd:
-	$(MAKE) $(ALL) SYSCFLAGS="-DLUA_USE_LINUX -DLUA_USE_READLINE -I/usr/include/edit" SYSLIBS="-Wl,-E -ledit" CC="cc"
+	$(MAKE) $(ALL) SYSCFLAGS="-DLUA_USE_LINUX $(RFLAG) -I/usr/include/edit" SYSLIBS="-Wl,-E -ledit" CC="cc"
 
 generic: $(ALL)
 
 linux:
-	$(MAKE) $(ALL) SYSCFLAGS="-DLUA_USE_LINUX" SYSLIBS="-Wl,-E -ldl -lreadline"
+	$(MAKE) $(ALL) SYSCFLAGS="-DLUA_USE_LINUX" $(RFLAG) SYSLIBS="-Wl,-E -ldl $(if $(USE_READLINE), -lreadline)"
 
 macosx:
-	$(MAKE) $(ALL) SYSCFLAGS="-DLUA_USE_MACOSX" SYSLIBS="-lreadline"
+	$(MAKE) $(ALL) SYSCFLAGS="-DLUA_USE_MACOSX" $(RFLAG) SYSLIBS="$(if $(USE_READLINE), -lreadline)"
 
 mingw:
 	$(MAKE) "LUA_A=lua53.dll" "LUA_T=lua.exe" \