diff --git a/dtool/Config.pp b/dtool/Config.pp
index 8f24bd39c7..351dc81230 100644
--- a/dtool/Config.pp
+++ b/dtool/Config.pp
@@ -322,6 +322,9 @@
 #define RAD_MSS_LIBS Mss32
 #defer HAVE_RAD_MSS $[libtest $[RAD_MSS_LPATH],$[RAD_MSS_LIBS]]
 
+// Is Panda using the mpg123 library to play mp3, requiring it be built?
+#define USE_MPG123 1
+
 // Is Gtk-- installed?  How should we run the gtkmm-config program?
 // This matters only to programs in PANDATOOL.
 #define GTKMM_CONFIG gtkmm-config
diff --git a/dtool/pptempl/Global.pp b/dtool/pptempl/Global.pp
index 5aae3a4180..8c088088fd 100644
--- a/dtool/pptempl/Global.pp
+++ b/dtool/pptempl/Global.pp
@@ -208,6 +208,9 @@
      #define AUDIO_IPATH $[RAD_MSS_IPATH]
      #define AUDIO_LPATH $[RAD_MSS_LPATH]
      #define AUDIO_LIBS $[RAD_MSS_LIBS]
+     
+     // Miles will play mp3, so we dont need the mpg123 lib
+     #define USE_MPG123 
 #endif   
 
 #if $[HAVE_AUDIO]
@@ -243,6 +246,7 @@
      $[or $[not $[DIRECTORY_IF_IPC]],$[HAVE_IPC]], \
      $[or $[not $[DIRECTORY_IF_NET]],$[HAVE_NET]], \
      $[or $[not $[DIRECTORY_IF_AUDIO]],$[HAVE_AUDIO]], \
+     $[or $[not $[DIRECTORY_IF_MPG123]],$[USE_MPG123]], \
      $[or $[not $[DIRECTORY_IF_INTERROGATE]],$[HAVE_INTERROGATE]], \
       1 ]
 
@@ -273,6 +277,7 @@
      $[or $[not $[TARGET_IF_IPC]],$[HAVE_IPC]], \
      $[or $[not $[TARGET_IF_NET]],$[HAVE_NET]], \
      $[or $[not $[TARGET_IF_AUDIO]],$[HAVE_AUDIO]], \
+     $[or $[not $[TARGET_IF_MPG123]],$[USE_MPG123]], \
       1 ]
 
 // This takes advantage of the above two variables to get the actual
diff --git a/panda/src/mpg123/Sources.pp b/panda/src/mpg123/Sources.pp
index fbea81b8da..031c2b1531 100644
--- a/panda/src/mpg123/Sources.pp
+++ b/panda/src/mpg123/Sources.pp
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#define DIRECTORY_IF_MPG123 yes
+
 #begin static_lib_target
   #define TARGET mpg123
   #define SOURCES \