--- src/luaconf.h
+++ src/luaconf.h
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 #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)
--- src/Makefile
+++ src/Makefile
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
 	$(MAKE) all MYCFLAGS=
 
 linux:
-	$(MAKE) all MYCFLAGS+=-DLUA_USE_LINUX MYLIBS="-Wl,-E -ldl -lreadline -lhistory -lncurses"
+	$(MAKE) all MYCFLAGS+="-DLUA_USE_LINUX $(if $(USE_READLINE),-DLUA_USE_READLINE)" MYLIBS="-Wl,-E -ldl $(if $(USE_READLINE),-lreadline -lhistory -lncurses)"
 
 macosx:
 	$(MAKE) all MYCFLAGS=-DLUA_USE_LINUX MYLIBS="-lreadline"