diff --git a/common b/common
index 4a7bc52a89..2a7d1c564c 160000
--- a/common
+++ b/common
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 4a7bc52a893bdd9fefa9fabe460c827822a9e0f2
+Subproject commit 2a7d1c564cbf64d94cb04fb8615afb761e89f80c
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 42d562a403..18aa6f057b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -523,10 +523,18 @@ GST_CHECK_FEATURE(FLAC, [FLAC lossless audio], flacenc flacdec, [
 dnl *** FFMPEG ***
 translit(dnm, m, l) AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_FFMPEG, true)
 GST_CHECK_FEATURE(FFMPEG, [ffmpeg plug-ins], ffmpeg, [
-  AS_SLURP_FFMPEG(gst-libs/ext/ffmpeg, "2002-12-14 12:00 GMT",
-                  HAVE_FFMPEG=yes, HAVE_FFMPEG=no)
-  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(HAVE_FFMPEG_UNINSTALLED, 1, 
-                     [defined if we use uninstalled ffmpeg])
+  # only slurp in the case where we are in CVS mode;
+  # prerelease and release should get it disted
+  if test "x$GST_PLUGINS_VERSION_NANO" = x1; then
+    AC_MSG_NOTICE(slurping FFmpeg CVS source)
+    AS_SLURP_FFMPEG(gst-libs/ext/ffmpeg, "2002-12-14 12:00 GMT",
+                    HAVE_FFMPEG=yes, HAVE_FFMPEG=no)
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(HAVE_FFMPEG_UNINSTALLED, 1, 
+                       [defined if we use uninstalled ffmpeg])
+  else
+    AC_MSG_NOTICE(FFmpeg CVS code should be included already)
+    HAVE_FFMPEG=yes
+  fi
 ])
 
 dnl *** Gnome VFS ***
@@ -961,6 +969,13 @@ GST_CFLAGS="$GST_CFLAGS -I\$(top_srcdir)/gst-libs $GST_ERROR"
 AC_SUBST(GST_LIBS)
 AC_SUBST(GST_CFLAGS)
 
+dnl ###########################
+dnl # Configure external libs #
+dnl ###########################
+if test "x$HAVE_FFMPEG" = xyes; then
+  AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS(gst-libs/ext/ffmpeg/ffmpeg)
+fi 
+
 dnl #########################
 dnl # Make the output files #
 dnl #########################
diff --git a/gst-libs/ext/ffmpeg/Makefile.am b/gst-libs/ext/ffmpeg/Makefile.am
index 48fd2b34d8..1dd50de901 100644
--- a/gst-libs/ext/ffmpeg/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst-libs/ext/ffmpeg/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-REVISION = 
+EXTRA_DIST = Tag
 
 # this doesn't trigger the distdir target in the ffmpeg checkout
 DIST_SUBDIRS =