diff --git a/example-clients/wscript b/example-clients/wscript
index f834e8a2..0c8f32da 100644
--- a/example-clients/wscript
+++ b/example-clients/wscript
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ example_libs = {
     }
 
 def configure(conf):
-    conf.check_cfg(package='sndfile', args='--cflags --libs', mandatory=False)
- 
     e = conf.check_cc(lib='readline', define_name="HAVE_READLINE", mandatory=False)
 
     # define_name="HAVE_READLINE" has no effect, LIB_READLINE is defined if readline is available
@@ -46,7 +44,7 @@ def configure(conf):
 
     conf.env['BUILD_EXAMPLE_CLIENT_TRANSPORT'] = bool(conf.env['LIB_READLINE'])
 
-    conf.env['BUILD_EXAMPLE_CLIENT_REC'] = conf.is_defined('HAVE_SNDFILE')
+    conf.env['BUILD_EXAMPLE_CLIENT_REC'] = conf.env['SNDFILE']
 
     conf.env['BUILD_EXAMPLE_ALSA_IO'] = conf.env['SAMPLERATE'] and conf.env['BUILD_DRIVER_ALSA']
 
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 7e6ccaa2..5d03cd18 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -431,6 +431,8 @@ def options(opt):
     opus.add_package('opus', atleast_version='0.9.0')
     samplerate = add_auto_option(opt, 'samplerate', help='Build with libsamplerate')
     samplerate.add_package('samplerate')
+    sndfile = add_auto_option(opt, 'sndfile', help='Build with libsndfile')
+    sndfile.add_package('sndfile')
 
     # dbus options
     opt.sub_options('dbus')