diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d03c40d74b..92d8c735f8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1481,12 +1481,24 @@ AG_GST_CHECK_FEATURE(ZBAR, [ZBar barcode detector], zbar, [
 dnl *** vp8 ***
 translit(dnm, m, l) AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_VP8, vp8)
 AG_GST_CHECK_FEATURE(VP8, [VP8 decoder], vp8, [
+  VPX_LIBS=""
   AG_GST_CHECK_LIBHEADER(VPX, vpx,
                         vpx_codec_version, ,
-                        vpx/vpx_codec.h,
-			HAVE_VP8=yes
-                        VPX_LIBS="-lvpx"
-                        AC_SUBST(VPX_LIBS))
+                        vpx/vpx_codec.h, [
+    HAVE_VP8_ENCODER=no
+    HAVE_VP8_DECODER=no
+    AC_CHECK_LIB(vpx, vpx_codec_vp8_cx_algo, [
+      HAVE_VP8=yes
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_VP8_ENCODER, 1, [Defined if the VP8 encoder is available])
+      VPX_LIBS="-lvpx"
+    ])
+    AC_CHECK_LIB(vpx, vpx_codec_vp8_dx_algo, [
+      HAVE_VP8=yes
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_VP8_DECODER, 1, [Defined if the VP8 decoder is available])
+      VPX_LIBS="-lvpx"
+    ])
+  ])
+  AC_SUBST(VPX_LIBS)
 ])
 
 else
diff --git a/ext/vp8/gstvp8dec.c b/ext/vp8/gstvp8dec.c
index f54bcb418b..1e059c8356 100644
--- a/ext/vp8/gstvp8dec.c
+++ b/ext/vp8/gstvp8dec.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 
 #include "gstvp8utils.h"
 
-#if CONFIG_VP8_DECODER
+#ifdef HAVE_VP8_DECODER
 
 GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_STATIC (gst_vp8dec_debug);
 #define GST_CAT_DEFAULT gst_vp8dec_debug
@@ -532,4 +532,4 @@ gst_vp8_dec_handle_frame (GstBaseVideoDecoder * decoder, GstVideoFrame * frame)
   return ret;
 }
 
-#endif /* CONFIG_VP8_DECODER */
+#endif /* HAVE_VP8_DECODER */
diff --git a/ext/vp8/gstvp8enc.c b/ext/vp8/gstvp8enc.c
index 04609789c1..0d6224badf 100644
--- a/ext/vp8/gstvp8enc.c
+++ b/ext/vp8/gstvp8enc.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 
 #include "gstvp8utils.h"
 
-#if CONFIG_VP8_ENCODER
+#ifdef HAVE_VP8_ENCODER
 
 GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_STATIC (gst_vp8enc_debug);
 #define GST_CAT_DEFAULT gst_vp8enc_debug
@@ -844,4 +844,4 @@ gst_vp8_enc_sink_event (GstPad * pad, GstEvent * event)
   return ret;
 }
 
-#endif /* CONFIG_VP8_ENCODER */
+#endif /* HAVE_VP8_ENCODER */
diff --git a/ext/vp8/plugin.c b/ext/vp8/plugin.c
index 471c31093d..4f4f194f95 100644
--- a/ext/vp8/plugin.c
+++ b/ext/vp8/plugin.c
@@ -25,20 +25,18 @@
 
 #include <gst/gst.h>
 
-#include <vpx/vpx_config.h>
-
 GType gst_vp8_dec_get_type (void);
 GType gst_vp8_enc_get_type (void);
 
 static gboolean
 plugin_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
 {
-#if CONFIG_VP8_DECODER
+#ifdef HAVE_VP8_DECODER
   gst_element_register (plugin, "vp8dec", GST_RANK_PRIMARY,
       gst_vp8_dec_get_type ());
 #endif
 
-#if CONFIG_VP8_ENCODER
+#ifdef HAVE_VP8_DECODER
   gst_element_register (plugin, "vp8enc", GST_RANK_PRIMARY,
       gst_vp8_enc_get_type ());
 #endif