--- setup.py
+++ setup.py
@@ -29,6 +30,16 @@
     print pipe.stderr.read()
     raise SystemExit('Error: %s >= %s not found' % (pkg, version))
 
+def pkg_config_svg_check():
+  if os.environ.get('PYCAIRO_DISABLE_SVG', None) is None:
+    pipe = call('pkg-config --exists cairo-svg')
+    if pipe.returncode == 0:
+      return [('PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG', None)]
+    else:
+      return []
+  else:
+    return []
+
 def pkg_config_parse(opt, pkg):
   pipe = call("pkg-config %s %s" % (opt, pkg))
   output = pipe.stdout.read()
@@ -94,6 +105,7 @@
              'src/pattern.c',
              'src/surface.c',
              ],
+  define_macros = pkg_config_svg_check(),
   include_dirs = pkg_config_parse('--cflags-only-I', 'cairo'),
   library_dirs = pkg_config_parse('--libs-only-L', 'cairo'),
   libraries    = pkg_config_parse('--libs-only-l', 'cairo'),
--- src/cairomodule.c
+++ src/cairomodule.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
 #else
   0,
 #endif
-#ifdef CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
+#ifdef PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG
   &PycairoSVGSurface_Type,
 #else
   0,
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoPSSurface_Type) < 0)
     return;
 #endif
-#ifdef CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
+#ifdef PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoSVGSurface_Type) < 0)
     return;
 #endif
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@
   PyModule_AddObject(m, "PSSurface", (PyObject *)&PycairoPSSurface_Type);
 #endif
 
-#ifdef CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
+#ifdef PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG
   Py_INCREF(&PycairoSVGSurface_Type);
   PyModule_AddObject(m, "SVGSurface", (PyObject *)&PycairoSVGSurface_Type);
 #endif
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@
 #else
   PyModule_AddIntConstant(m, "HAS_PS_SURFACE", 0);
 #endif
-#if CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
+#if PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG
   PyModule_AddIntConstant(m, "HAS_SVG_SURFACE", 1);
 #else
   PyModule_AddIntConstant(m, "HAS_SVG_SURFACE", 0);
--- src/private.h
+++ src/private.h
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
 extern PyTypeObject PycairoPSSurface_Type;
 #endif
 
-#if CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
+#if PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG
 extern PyTypeObject PycairoSVGSurface_Type;
 #endif
 
--- src/pycairo.h
+++ src/pycairo.h
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@
 #define PycairoPSSurface_Type       *(Pycairo_CAPI->PSSurface_Type)
 #endif
 
-#if CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
+#if PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG
 #define PycairoSVGSurface_Type      *(Pycairo_CAPI->SVGSurface_Type)
 #endif
 
--- src/surface.c
+++ src/surface.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
     type = &PycairoPSSurface_Type;
     break;
 #endif
-#if CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
+#if PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG
   case CAIRO_SURFACE_TYPE_SVG:
     type = &PycairoSVGSurface_Type;
     break;
@@ -965,7 +965,7 @@
 
 
 /* Class SVGSurface(Surface) ----------------------------------------------- */
-#ifdef CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
+#ifdef PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG
 #include <cairo-svg.h>
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -1067,7 +1067,7 @@
   0,                                  /* tp_is_gc */
   0,                                  /* tp_bases */
 };
-#endif  /* CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE */
+#endif  /* PYCAIRO_ENABLE_SVG */
 
 
 /* Class Win32Surface(Surface) -------------------------------------------- */