diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2bbc39b4ab2..747d138664a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -48,11 +48,17 @@ LIBS    += -lmad
 
 
 #######################################################################
-# Misc stuff - you should normally never have to edit this            #
+# Control which modules are built - uncomment any to disable module   #
 #######################################################################
 
-# Concat DEFINES and INCLUDES to for the CPPFLAGS
-CPPFLAGS:= $(DEFINES) $(INCLUDES)
+# DISABLE_SCUMM = 1
+# DISABLE_SIMON = 1
+# DISABLE_SKY = 1
+
+
+#######################################################################
+# Misc stuff - you should normally never have to edit this            #
+#######################################################################
 
 include Makefile.common
 
diff --git a/Makefile.common b/Makefile.common
index 0ef447dcd23..5a596dea581 100644
--- a/Makefile.common
+++ b/Makefile.common
@@ -22,10 +22,26 @@ DEPDIR := .deps
 # TODO - the nested ones (scumm/smush, backends/...) should be handled from the
 # module.mk of their parents. In fact the only reason they are listed here is to ensure the
 # DEPDIRS directive works correctly.
+
+ifdef DISABLE_SCUMM
+DEFINES += -DDISABLE_SCUMM
+else
+MODULES += scumm
+endif
+
+ifdef DISABLE_SIMON
+DEFINES += -DDISABLE_SIMON
+else
+MODULES += simon
+endif
+
+ifdef DISABLE_SKY
+DEFINES += -DDISABLE_SKY
+else
+MODULES += sky
+endif
+
 MODULES += \
-	scumm \
-	simon \
-	sky \
 	common \
 	gui \
 	backends \
@@ -36,8 +52,11 @@ MODULES += \
 	backends/fs/windows \
 	backends/midi
 
+# Concat DEFINES and INCLUDES to form the CPPFLAGS
+CPPFLAGS:= $(DEFINES) $(INCLUDES)
+
 # Include the build instructions for all modules
--include $(patsubst %,%/module.mk,$(MODULES))
+-include $(addsuffix /module.mk,$(MODULES))
 
 # HACK temporary fix to get compilation on OS X (and possibly others) working again
 OBJS:=common/engine.o $(OBJS)
@@ -59,8 +78,8 @@ clean:
 
 # If you use GCC, disable the above and enable this for intelligent
 # dependency tracking. 
-DEPDIRS = $(patsubst %,%/$(DEPDIR),$(MODULES))
-DEPFILES = $(wildcard $(patsubst %,%/*.d,$(DEPDIRS)))
+DEPDIRS = $(addsuffix /$(DEPDIR),$(MODULES))
+DEPFILES = $(wildcard $(addsuffix /*.d,$(DEPDIRS)))
 
 .cpp.o:
 	$(MKDIR) $(*D)/$(DEPDIR)
diff --git a/Makefile.mingw b/Makefile.mingw
index ea3bf0c0c7a..18cba2d8a78 100644
--- a/Makefile.mingw
+++ b/Makefile.mingw
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@ LIBS    += -lvorbisfile -lvorbis -logg
 # Misc stuff - you should normally never have to edit this            #
 #######################################################################
 
-# Concat DEFINES and INCLUDES to for the CPPFLAGS
-CPPFLAGS:= $(DEFINES) $(INCLUDES)
-
 include Makefile.common
 
 scummvmico.o: scummvm.ico
diff --git a/common/engine.cpp b/common/engine.cpp
index e764a3d3f71..93747f37354 100644
--- a/common/engine.cpp
+++ b/common/engine.cpp
@@ -79,18 +79,26 @@ const char *Engine::getSavePath() const {
 Engine *Engine::createFromDetector(GameDetector *detector, OSystem *syst) {
 	Engine *engine = NULL;
 
+#ifndef DISABLE_SCUMM
+	if (detector->_gameId >= GID_SCUMM_FIRST && detector->_gameId <= GID_SCUMM_LAST) {
+		// Some kind of Scumm game
+		engine = Engine_SCUMM_create(detector, syst);
+	}
+#endif
+
+#ifndef DISABLE_SIMON
 	if (detector->_gameId >= GID_SIMON_FIRST && detector->_gameId <= GID_SIMON_LAST) {
 		// Simon the Sorcerer
 		engine = Engine_SIMON_create(detector, syst);
-	} else if (detector->_gameId >= GID_SCUMM_FIRST && detector->_gameId <= GID_SCUMM_LAST) {
-		// Some kind of Scumm game
-		engine = Engine_SCUMM_create(detector, syst);
-	} else if (detector->_gameId >= GID_SKY_FIRST && detector->_gameId <= GID_SKY_LAST) {
+	}
+#endif
+
+#ifndef DISABLE_SKY
+	if (detector->_gameId >= GID_SKY_FIRST && detector->_gameId <= GID_SKY_LAST) {
 		// Beneath a Steel Sky
 		engine = Engine_SKY_create(detector, syst);
-	} else {
-		// Unknown game
 	}
+#endif
 
 	return engine;
 }
diff --git a/common/engine.h b/common/engine.h
index 11d2fc815c4..ec2e7cad38d 100644
--- a/common/engine.h
+++ b/common/engine.h
@@ -82,13 +82,21 @@ void checkHeap();
 // in this header. This serves two purposes:
 // 1) Clean seperation from the game modules (scumm, simon) and the generic code
 // 2) Faster (compiler doesn't have to parse lengthy header files)
-extern Engine *Engine_SIMON_create(GameDetector *detector, OSystem *syst);
-extern Engine *Engine_SCUMM_create(GameDetector *detector, OSystem *syst);
-extern Engine *Engine_SKY_create(GameDetector *detector, OSystem *syst);
 
-extern const VersionSettings *Engine_SIMON_targetList();
+#ifndef DISABLE_SCUMM
 extern const VersionSettings *Engine_SCUMM_targetList();
+extern Engine *Engine_SCUMM_create(GameDetector *detector, OSystem *syst);
+#endif
+
+#ifndef DISABLE_SIMON
+extern Engine *Engine_SIMON_create(GameDetector *detector, OSystem *syst);
+extern const VersionSettings *Engine_SIMON_targetList();
+#endif
+
+#ifndef DISABLE_SKY
 extern const VersionSettings *Engine_SKY_targetList();
+extern Engine *Engine_SKY_create(GameDetector *detector, OSystem *syst);
+#endif
 
 #endif
 
diff --git a/common/gameDetector.cpp b/common/gameDetector.cpp
index 71399b87512..6cb0f025a80 100644
--- a/common/gameDetector.cpp
+++ b/common/gameDetector.cpp
@@ -162,26 +162,45 @@ GameDetector::GameDetector() {
 	_default_gfx_mode = true;
 
 	if (version_settings == NULL) {
+		int totalCount = 0;
+		
 		// Gather & combine the target lists from the modules
+
+#ifndef DISABLE_SCUMM
 		const VersionSettings *scummVersions = Engine_SCUMM_targetList();
-		const VersionSettings *simonVersions = Engine_SIMON_targetList();
-		const VersionSettings *skyVersions = Engine_SKY_targetList();
-		
 		int scummCount = countVersions(scummVersions);
+		totalCount += scummCount;
+#endif
+
+#ifndef DISABLE_SIMON
+		const VersionSettings *simonVersions = Engine_SIMON_targetList();
 		int simonCount = countVersions(simonVersions);
+		totalCount += simonCount;
+#endif
+
+#ifndef DISABLE_SKY
+		const VersionSettings *skyVersions = Engine_SKY_targetList();
 		int skyCount = countVersions(skyVersions);
+		totalCount += skyCount;
+#endif
 		
-		VersionSettings *v = (VersionSettings *)calloc(scummCount + simonCount + skyCount + 1, sizeof(VersionSettings));
+		VersionSettings *v = (VersionSettings *)calloc(totalCount + 1, sizeof(VersionSettings));
 		version_settings = v;
 
+#ifndef DISABLE_SCUMM
 		memcpy(v, scummVersions, scummCount * sizeof(VersionSettings));
 		v += scummCount;
+#endif
 
+#ifndef DISABLE_SIMON
 		memcpy(v, simonVersions, simonCount * sizeof(VersionSettings));
 		v += simonCount;
+#endif
 
+#ifndef DISABLE_SKY
 		memcpy(v, skyVersions, skyCount * sizeof(VersionSettings));
 		v += skyCount;
+#endif
 	}
 }