diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7245533701..1c1bac2530 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -401,28 +401,14 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/socket.h], HAVE_SYS_SOCKET_H=yes)
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([winsock2.h], HAVE_WINSOCK2_H=yes)
 
 if test "x$HAVE_WINSOCK2_H" = "xyes"; then
-  WIN32_LIBS="-lws2_32"
-  AC_SUBST(WIN32_LIBS)
-fi
-
-dnl needed for festival
-AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_WINSOCK2_H, test "x$HAVE_WINSOCK2_H" = "xyes")
-
-if test "x$HAVE_WINSOCK2_H" = "xyes"; then
-  DCCP_LIBS="$DCCP_LIBS -lws2_32"
-  XDG_LIBS="$XDG_LIBS -lws2_32"
-  RTMP_LIBS="$RTMP_LIBS -lws2_32"
-  AC_SUBST(DCCP_LIBS)
-  AC_SUBST(XDG_LIBS)
-  AC_SUBST(RTMP_LIBS)
+  WINSOCK2_LIBS="-lws2_32"
+  AC_SUBST(WINSOCK2_LIBS)
 fi
 
 if test "x$HAVE_PTHREAD_H" = "xyes"; then
   DCCP_LIBS="$DCCP_LIBS -lpthread"
   AC_SUBST(DCCP_LIBS)
-fi
-
-if test "x$HAVE_PTHREAD_H" != "xyes"; then
+else
   AG_GST_DISABLE_PLUGIN(dccp)
 fi
 
diff --git a/ext/rtmp/Makefile.am b/ext/rtmp/Makefile.am
index bd2398cab0..58283e5fe5 100644
--- a/ext/rtmp/Makefile.am
+++ b/ext/rtmp/Makefile.am
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ libgstrtmp_la_SOURCES = gstrtmpsrc.c gstrtmpsink.c gstrtmp.c
 
 noinst_HEADERS = gstrtmpsrc.h gstrtmpsink.h
 libgstrtmp_la_CFLAGS = $(GST_PLUGINS_BASE_CFLAGS) $(GST_BASE_CFLAGS) $(GST_CFLAGS) $(RTMP_CFLAGS)
-libgstrtmp_la_LIBADD = $(GST_PLUGINS_BASE_LIBS) $(GST_BASE_LIBS) $(GST_LIBS) $(RTMP_LIBS)
+libgstrtmp_la_LIBADD = $(GST_PLUGINS_BASE_LIBS) $(GST_BASE_LIBS) $(GST_LIBS) $(RTMP_LIBS) $(WINSOCK2_LIBS)
 libgstrtmp_la_LDFLAGS = $(GST_PLUGIN_LDFLAGS)
 libgstrtmp_la_LIBTOOLFLAGS = --tag=disable-static
 
diff --git a/gst/dccp/Makefile.am b/gst/dccp/Makefile.am
index 41e6ca1740..781ef0e6af 100644
--- a/gst/dccp/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst/dccp/Makefile.am
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ libgstdccp_la_SOURCES = gstdccpplugin.c \
 
 # flags used to compile this plugin
 libgstdccp_la_CFLAGS = $(GST_CFLAGS)
-libgstdccp_la_LIBADD = $(GST_BASE_LIBS) $(GST_LIBS) $(DCCP_LIBS)
+libgstdccp_la_LIBADD = $(GST_BASE_LIBS) $(GST_LIBS) $(DCCP_LIBS) $(WINSOCK2_LIBS)
 libgstdccp_la_LDFLAGS = $(GST_PLUGIN_LDFLAGS)
 libgstdccp_la_LIBTOOLFLAGS = --tag=disable-static
 
diff --git a/gst/festival/Makefile.am b/gst/festival/Makefile.am
index e1a62ac270..cb8959dc4d 100644
--- a/gst/festival/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst/festival/Makefile.am
@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
 
 plugin_LTLIBRARIES = libgstfestival.la
 
-if HAVE_WINSOCK2_H
-WINSOCK2_LIBS = -lws2_32
-else
-WINSOCK2_LIBS =
-endif
-
 libgstfestival_la_SOURCES = gstfestival.c 
 libgstfestival_la_CFLAGS = $(GST_CFLAGS) $(GST_PLUGINS_BASE_CFLAGS)
 # we use net connection now... perhaps use the lib later
diff --git a/gst/pcapparse/Makefile.am b/gst/pcapparse/Makefile.am
index 6c357f2097..1c56fe8693 100644
--- a/gst/pcapparse/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst/pcapparse/Makefile.am
@@ -1,12 +1,5 @@
 plugin_LTLIBRARIES = libgstpcapparse.la
 
-# when compiling for windows we need to link with the winsock library
-if HAVE_WINSOCK2_H
-  WINSOCK2_LIBS = -lws2_32
-else
-  WINSOCK2_LIBS = 
-endif
-
 libgstpcapparse_la_SOURCES = \
 	gstpcapparse.c gstirtspparse.c plugin.c
 
@@ -30,4 +23,4 @@ Android.mk: Makefile.am $(BUILT_SOURCES)
 	           -ldl \
 	 -:PASSTHROUGH LOCAL_ARM_MODE:=arm \
 		       LOCAL_MODULE_PATH:='$$(TARGET_OUT)/lib/gstreamer-0.10' \
-	> $@
\ No newline at end of file
+	> $@
diff --git a/gst/sdp/Makefile.am b/gst/sdp/Makefile.am
index 90a822d032..b506f284aa 100644
--- a/gst/sdp/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst/sdp/Makefile.am
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ libgstsdpelem_la_SOURCES = gstsdpelem.c gstsdpdemux.h gstsdpdemux.c
 libgstsdpelem_la_CFLAGS = $(GST_PLUGINS_BASE_CFLAGS) $(GST_CFLAGS) $(GIO_CFLAGS)
 libgstsdpelem_la_LIBADD = $(GST_PLUGINS_BASE_LIBS) $(GST_BASE_LIBS) $(GIO_LIBS) \
 		       -lgstrtp-@GST_API_VERSION@ -lgstsdp-@GST_API_VERSION@ \
-		       $(GST_LIBS) $(WIN32_LIBS)
+		       $(GST_LIBS) $(WINSOCK2_LIBS)
 libgstsdpelem_la_LDFLAGS = $(GST_PLUGIN_LDFLAGS)
 libgstsdpelem_la_LIBTOOLFLAGS = --tag=disable-static