diff --git a/3rdparty/opus/wscript b/3rdparty/opus/wscript
index 54daf0ff..9f3d2098 100644
--- a/3rdparty/opus/wscript
+++ b/3rdparty/opus/wscript
@@ -3,24 +3,10 @@
 
 import os
 
-OPUS_CHECK='''#include <opus.h>
-#include <stddef.h>
-int main()
-{
-	OpusEncoder *oe = opus_encoder_create(48000, 2, OPUS_APPLICATION_VOIP, NULL);
-	OpusDecoder *od = opus_decoder_create(48000, 2, NULL);
-	return !oe || !od;
-}
-'''
-
 def options(opt):
 	pass
 
 def configure(conf):
-	if conf.check_pkg('opus', 'OPUS', OPUS_CHECK, fatal = False):
-		conf.env.HAVE_OPUS = True
-		return
-
 	if not conf.path.find_dir('opus') or not conf.path.find_dir('opus/src'):
 		conf.fatal('Can\'t find opus submodule. Run `git submodule update --init --recursive`.')
 		return
@@ -29,9 +15,6 @@ def configure(conf):
 	# TODO: maybe call autotools/cmake/meson instead?
 
 def build(bld):
-	if bld.env.HAVE_OPUS:
-		return
-
 	sources = bld.path.ant_glob([
 		'opus/src/*.c',
 		'opus/celt/*.c',
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 07737fb5..606cf870 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ def options(opt):
 	grp.add_option('-P', '--enable-packaging', action = 'store_true', dest = 'PACKAGING', default = False,
 		help = 'respect prefix option, useful for packaging for various operating systems [default: %default]')
 
+	grp.add_option('--enabled-bundled-deps', action = 'store_true', dest = 'BUILD_BUNDLED_DEPS', default = False,
+		help = 'prefer to build bundled dependencies (like opus) instead of relying on system provided')
+
 	grp.add_option('--enable-bsp2', action = 'store_true', dest = 'SUPPORT_BSP2_FORMAT', default = False,
 		help = 'build engine and renderers with BSP2 map support(recommended for Quake, breaks compatibility!) [default: %default]')
 
@@ -323,6 +326,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) { strcasestr(argv[1], argv[2]); return 0; }'''
 
 		conf.env.SHAREDIR = conf.env.LIBDIR = conf.env.BINDIR = conf.env.PREFIX
 
+	if not conf.options.BUILD_BUNDLED_DEPS:
+		# check if we can use system opus
+		if conf.check_pkg('opus', 'opus', '''#include <opus.h>
+int main(void){ return (opus_encoder_create(48000, 2, OPUS_APPLICATION_VOIP, 0) != 0) && (opus_decoder_create(48000, 2, 0) != 0);}''', fatal = False):
+			conf.env.HAVE_SYSTEM_OPUS = True
+
 	conf.define('XASH_BUILD_COMMIT', conf.env.GIT_VERSION if conf.env.GIT_VERSION else 'notset')
 	conf.define('XASH_LOW_MEMORY', conf.options.LOW_MEMORY)