diff --git a/m4/gst-mpeg2dec.m4 b/m4/gst-mpeg2dec.m4
index aa3f108fe0..0a5785feb8 100644
--- a/m4/gst-mpeg2dec.m4
+++ b/m4/gst-mpeg2dec.m4
@@ -1,24 +1,19 @@
 AC_DEFUN(GST_CHECK_MPEG2DEC, 
 [dnl
-dnl
-dnl check for mpeg2dec in standard location
-dnl if not found then check for mpeg2dec in /usr/X11R6/lib
-dnl
-CHECK_LIBHEADER(MPEG2DEC, mpeg2, mpeg2_init, mpeg2dec/mpeg2.h, MPEG2DEC_LIBS="-lmpeg2 -lmpeg2dec")
- 
-dnl unset cache variable - we want to check once again for the same library
-dnl but in different location
-unset ac_cv_lib_mpeg2_mpeg2_init
+AC_ARG_WITH(mpeg2dec-prefix,
+    [  --with-mpeg2dec-prefix=PFX   Prefix where mpeg2dec is installed (optional)],
+    mpeg2dec_config_prefix="$withval", mpeg2dec_config_prefix="")
 
-dnl check again in /usr/X11R6/lib
-if test x$HAVE_MPEG2DEC = xno; then
-    AC_MSG_NOTICE([NOTICE: mpeg2dec not found, let's try again in /usr/X11R6])
+if test x$mpeg2dec_config_prefix = x ; then
+    CHECK_LIBHEADER(MPEG2DEC, mpeg2, mpeg2_init, mpeg2dec/mpeg2.h,
+        MPEG2DEC_LIBS="-lmpeg2 -lmpeg2dec")
+else
     CHECK_LIBHEADER(MPEG2DEC, mpeg2, mpeg2_init, mpeg2dec/mpeg2.h, [
-            MPEG2DEC_LIBS="-lmpeg2 -lmpeg2dec -L/usr/X11R6/lib"
-            MPEG2DEC_CFLAGS="-I/usr/X11R6/include"
-        ], , -L/usr/X11R6/lib, -I/usr/X11R6/include)
+            MPEG2DEC_LIBS="-lmpeg2 -lmpeg2dec -L$mpeg2dec_config_prefix/lib"
+            MPEG2DEC_CFLAGS="-I$mpeg2dec_config_prefix/include"
+        ], , -L$mpeg2dec_config_prefix/lib, -I$mpeg2dec_config_prefix/include)
 fi
-
+ 
 AC_SUBST(MPEG2DEC_CFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(MPEG2DEC_LIBS)
 ])