diff --git a/CMakeExternals/GLUT.cmake b/CMakeExternals/GLUT.cmake
index f0cd146a4c..8275aec4c7 100644
--- a/CMakeExternals/GLUT.cmake
+++ b/CMakeExternals/GLUT.cmake
@@ -1,38 +1,41 @@
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # freeglut
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-# Sanity checks
-if(DEFINED GLUT_DIR AND NOT EXISTS ${GLUT_DIR})
-  message(FATAL_ERROR "GLUT_DIR variable is defined but corresponds to non-existing directory")
-endif()
+if(MITK_USE_GLUT)
+  # Sanity checks
+  if(DEFINED GLUT_DIR AND NOT EXISTS ${GLUT_DIR})
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "GLUT_DIR variable is defined but corresponds to non-existing directory")
+  endif()
+
+  set(proj GLUT)
+  set(proj_DEPENDENCIES )
+  set(${proj}_DEPENDS ${proj})
 
-set(proj GLUT)
-set(proj_DEPENDENCIES )
-set(${proj}_DEPENDS ${proj})
+  if(NOT DEFINED GLUT_DIR)
 
-if(NOT DEFINED GLUT_DIR)
+    set(patch_cmd ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -Dproj:STRING=${proj} -Dproj_target:STRING=GLUT -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/GenerateDefaultCMakeBuildSystem.cmake)
 
-  set(patch_cmd ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -Dproj:STRING=${proj} -Dproj_target:STRING=GLUT -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/GenerateDefaultCMakeBuildSystem.cmake)
+    ExternalProject_Add(${proj}
+       SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/${proj}-src
+       BINARY_DIR ${proj}-build
+       PREFIX ${proj}-cmake
+       URL http://mitk.org/download/thirdparty/freeglut-2.8.1.tar.gz
+       URL_MD5 918ffbddcffbac83c218bc52355b6d5a
+       PATCH_COMMAND ${patch_cmd}
+       INSTALL_COMMAND ""
+       CMAKE_GENERATOR ${gen}
+       CMAKE_ARGS
+         ${ep_common_args}
+       DEPENDS ${proj_DEPENDENCIES}
+      )
 
-  ExternalProject_Add(${proj}
-     SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/${proj}-src
-     BINARY_DIR ${proj}-build
-     PREFIX ${proj}-cmake
-     URL http://mitk.org/download/thirdparty/freeglut-2.8.1.tar.gz
-     URL_MD5 918ffbddcffbac83c218bc52355b6d5a
-     PATCH_COMMAND ${patch_cmd}
-     INSTALL_COMMAND ""
-     CMAKE_GENERATOR ${gen}
-     CMAKE_ARGS
-       ${ep_common_args}
-     DEPENDS ${proj_DEPENDENCIES}
-    )
+    set(GLUT_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${proj}-build)
 
-  set(GLUT_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${proj}-build)
+  else()
 
-else()
+    mitkMacroEmptyExternalProject(${proj} "${proj_DEPENDENCIES}")
 
-  mitkMacroEmptyExternalProject(${proj} "${proj_DEPENDENCIES}")
+  endif()
 
 endif()