diff --git a/Make/dependencies b/Make/dependencies
index 7bd07a5e0..394cebc48 100644
--- a/Make/dependencies
+++ b/Make/dependencies
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Dependency library which have been installed on this system
 
 # should we compile osgIntrospection?
-COMPILE_INTROSPECTION = no
+COMPILE_INTROSPECTION ?= no
 
 # should we compile any of the examples?
 COMPILE_EXAMPLES ?= no