diff --git a/build/premake/premake4.lua b/build/premake/premake4.lua
index 852554605f..fd19439f80 100644
--- a/build/premake/premake4.lua
+++ b/build/premake/premake4.lua
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ newoption { trigger = "without-nvtt", description = "Disable use of NVTT" }
 newoption { trigger = "without-tests", description = "Disable generation of test projects" }
 newoption { trigger = "without-pch", description = "Disable generation and usage of precompiled headers" }
 newoption { trigger = "without-lobby", description = "Disable the use of gloox and the multiplayer lobby" }
+newoption { trigger = "without-miniupnpc", description = "Disable use of miniupnpc for port forwarding" }
 newoption { trigger = "with-system-nvtt", description = "Search standard paths for nvidia-texture-tools library, instead of using bundled copy" }
 newoption { trigger = "with-system-enet", description = "Search standard paths for libenet, instead of using bundled copy" }
 newoption { trigger = "with-system-miniupnpc", description = "Search standard paths for libminiupnpc, instead of using bundled copy" }
@@ -183,6 +184,10 @@ function project_set_build_flags()
 		defines { "CONFIG2_LOBBY=0" }
 	end
 
+	if _OPTIONS["without-miniupnpc"] then
+		defines { "CONFIG2_MINIUPNPC=0" }
+	end
+
 	-- required for the lowlevel library. must be set from all projects that use it, otherwise it assumes it is
 	-- being used as a DLL (which is currently not the case in 0ad)
 	defines { "LIB_STATIC_LINK" }
@@ -574,8 +579,10 @@ function setup_all_libs ()
 		"spidermonkey",
 		"enet",
 		"boost",	-- dragged in via server->simulation.h->random
-		"miniupnpc"
 	}
+	if not _OPTIONS["without-miniupnpc"] then
+		table.insert(extern_libs, "miniupnpc")
+	end
 	setup_static_lib_project("network", source_dirs, extern_libs, {})
 
 
@@ -848,7 +855,6 @@ used_extern_libs = {
 	"libcurl",
 
 	"valgrind",
-	"miniupnpc",
 }
 
 if not os.is("windows") and not _OPTIONS["android"] and not os.is("macosx") then
@@ -870,6 +876,10 @@ if not _OPTIONS["without-lobby"] then
 	table.insert(used_extern_libs, "gloox")
 end
 
+if not _OPTIONS["without-miniupnpc"] then
+	table.insert(used_extern_libs, "miniupnpc")
+end
+
 -- Bundles static libs together with main.cpp and builds game executable.
 function setup_main_exe ()
 
diff --git a/source/lib/config2.h b/source/lib/config2.h
index 34936fbeea..7dbee5ac73 100644
--- a/source/lib/config2.h
+++ b/source/lib/config2.h
@@ -116,4 +116,9 @@
 # define CONFIG2_LOBBY 1
 #endif
 
+// allow use of miniupnpc
+#ifndef CONFIG2_MINIUPNPC
+# define CONFIG2_MINIUPNPC 1
+#endif
+
 #endif	// #ifndef INCLUDED_CONFIG2
diff --git a/source/network/NetServer.cpp b/source/network/NetServer.cpp
index 116480fbc7..e8dba1e15d 100644
--- a/source/network/NetServer.cpp
+++ b/source/network/NetServer.cpp
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@
 #include "simulation2/Simulation2.h"
 #include "ps/ConfigDB.h"
 
+#if CONFIG2_MINIUPNPC
 // Next four files are for UPnP port forwarding.
 #include <miniupnpc/miniwget.h>
 #include <miniupnpc/miniupnpc.h>
 #include <miniupnpc/upnpcommands.h>
 #include <miniupnpc/upnperrors.h>
+#endif
 
 #define	DEFAULT_SERVER_NAME			L"Unnamed Server"
 #define DEFAULT_WELCOME_MESSAGE		L"Welcome"
@@ -189,13 +191,16 @@ bool CNetServerWorker::SetupConnection()
 	int ret = pthread_create(&m_WorkerThread, NULL, &RunThread, this);
 	ENSURE(ret == 0);
 
+#if CONFIG2_MINIUPNPC
 	// Launch the UPnP thread
 	ret = pthread_create(&m_UPnPThread, NULL, &SetupUPnP, NULL);
 	ENSURE(ret == 0);
+#endif
 
 	return true;
 }
 
+#if CONFIG2_MINIUPNPC
 void* CNetServerWorker::SetupUPnP(void*)
 {
 	// Values we want to set.
@@ -293,6 +298,7 @@ void* CNetServerWorker::SetupUPnP(void*)
 
 	return NULL;
 }
+#endif // CONFIG2_MINIUPNPC
 
 bool CNetServerWorker::SendMessage(ENetPeer* peer, const CNetMessage* message)
 {
diff --git a/source/network/NetServer.h b/source/network/NetServer.h
index c6896fcac5..c0c82ab78a 100644
--- a/source/network/NetServer.h
+++ b/source/network/NetServer.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2011 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2013 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "NetFileTransfer.h"
 #include "NetHost.h"
 
+#include "lib/config2.h"
 #include "ps/ThreadUtil.h"
 #include "scriptinterface/ScriptVal.h"
 
@@ -299,11 +300,13 @@ private:
 private:
 	// Thread-related stuff:
 
+#if CONFIG2_MINIUPNPC
 	/**
 	 * Try to find a UPnP root on the network and setup port forwarding.
 	 */
 	static void* SetupUPnP(void*);
 	pthread_t m_UPnPThread;
+#endif
 
 	static void* RunThread(void* data);
 	void Run();