diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5553b3e..a45d198 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ include toggle.mk
 # spmenu version
 VERSION = 1.1
 
-CPPFLAGS = -D_DEFAULT_SOURCE -D_BSD_SOURCE -D_XOPEN_SOURCE=700L -D_POSIX_C_SOURCE=200809L -DVERSION=\"$(VERSION)\" $(XINERAMATOGGLE) $(BDTOGGLE) $(PANGOTOGGLE) $(IMLIB2TOGGLE) $(LIBCONFIGTOGGLE)
+CPPFLAGS = -D_DEFAULT_SOURCE -D_BSD_SOURCE -D_XOPEN_SOURCE=700L -D_POSIX_C_SOURCE=200809L -DVERSION=\"$(VERSION)\" $(XINERAMATOGGLE) $(BDTOGGLE) $(PANGOTOGGLE) $(IMLIB2TOGGLE) $(LIBCONFIGTOGGLE) $(XRDBTOGGLE)
 CFLAGS   = -std=c99 -pedantic -Wall -Wno-deprecated-declarations $(OPT) $(INCS) $(CPPFLAGS)
 LDFLAGS  = $(LIBS)
 INCS = -I$(X11INC) -I$(FREETYPEINC) -I$(BDINC) `pkg-config --cflags $(XFTCONF) $(PANGOCONF) $(PANGOXFTCONF) $(OPENSSLCONF) $(LIBCONFIGCONF)`
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 525b4cf..e1975ea 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ makebin="${makebin:-$(command -v make)}"
 cc="${cc:-${CC:-gcc}}"
 opt="${opt:-${OPT:--O2}}"
 warn="${warn:-true}"
+xresources=""
 
 check_dist() {
     [ -f "/etc/pacman.conf" ] && [ "$warn" != "false" ] && printf "hint: detected Pacman. if you want you can run 'makepkg' with proper arguments to install it using pacman.\n" && pacman=true
@@ -98,6 +99,11 @@ build() {
         libconfigconf="libconfig"
     fi
 
+    # xresources
+    if [ "$xresources" = "true" ]; then
+        xrdbtoggle="-DXRESOURCES"
+    fi
+
     # fribidi
     if [ "$fribidi" = "true" ]; then
         bdlibs="-lfribidi"
@@ -131,6 +137,7 @@ build() {
         OPENSSLCONF="$opensslconf" \
         LIBCONFIGTOGGLE="$libconfigtoggle" \
         LIBCONFIGCONF="$libconfigconf" \
+        XRDBTOGGLE="$xrdbtoggle" \
         X11LIB="$X11LIB" \
         X11INC="$X11INC"
 }
@@ -160,6 +167,7 @@ install() {
         OPENSSLCONF="$opensslconf" \
         LIBCONFIGTOGGLE="$libconfigtoggle" \
         LIBCONFIGCONF="$libconfigconf" \
+        XRDBTOGGLE="$xrdbtoggle" \
         X11LIB="$X11LIB" \
         X11INC="$X11INC"
 }
diff --git a/buildconf b/buildconf
index 2308e3f..c0e4508 100755
--- a/buildconf
+++ b/buildconf
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ xinerama=true # enable multi monitor support
 openssl=true # enable support for openssl, used to calculate MD5
 fribidi=true # enable support for right to left languages
 libconfig=true # enable configuration and themes
+xresources=true # enable .Xresources support
 cc=gcc # compiler and linker
 opt=-O2 # level of optimization
 warn=true # warn about OS quirks
diff --git a/libs/argv.c b/libs/argv.c
index 4dd0984..278ce62 100644
--- a/libs/argv.c
+++ b/libs/argv.c
@@ -51,8 +51,12 @@ void readargs(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
     // init/read xrdb
     if (xresources) {
+        #if USEXRESOURCES
         XrmInitialize();
         load_xresources();
+        #else
+        ; // avoids a warning
+        #endif
     }
 
     // no arguments
diff --git a/libs/xrdb.c b/libs/xrdb.c
index 237b05f..c9f78ed 100644
--- a/libs/xrdb.c
+++ b/libs/xrdb.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#if USEXRESOURCES
 void resource_load(XrmDatabase db, char *name, enum resource_type rtype, void *dst) {
 	char *sdst = NULL;
 	int *idst = NULL;
@@ -49,3 +50,4 @@ void load_xresources(void) {
 
 	XCloseDisplay(display);
 }
+#endif
diff --git a/libs/xrdb.h b/libs/xrdb.h
index 9007c7a..93bb0d6 100644
--- a/libs/xrdb.h
+++ b/libs/xrdb.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#if USEXRESOURCES
 enum resource_type {
 	STRING = 0,
 	INTEGER = 1,
@@ -13,3 +14,4 @@ typedef struct {
 // declare functions
 static void load_xresources(void);
 static void resource_load(XrmDatabase db, char *name, enum resource_type rtype, void *dst);
+#endif
diff --git a/libs/xresources.h b/libs/xresources.h
index 4bfc606..a4ca613 100644
--- a/libs/xresources.h
+++ b/libs/xresources.h
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // This .Xresources array is read and compared to the xrdb. Simply add to the array if you need to.
+#if USEXRESOURCES
 ResourcePref resources[] = {
 	{ "font",			             STRING,  &font },
     { "col_caretfg",                 STRING,  &col_caretfg },
@@ -207,3 +208,4 @@ ResourcePref cols[] = {
 	{ "color14",                     STRING,  &col_sgr14 },
 	{ "color15",                     STRING,  &col_sgr15 },
 };
+#endif
diff --git a/spmenu.c b/spmenu.c
index 4e01f71..2d7aebc 100644
--- a/spmenu.c
+++ b/spmenu.c
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@
 #define USECONFIG 1
 #endif
 
+// check if we should enable .Xresources support
+#ifndef XRESOURCES
+#define USEXRESOURCES 0
+#else
+#define USEXRESOURCES 1
+#endif
+
 // include fribidi used for right to left language support
 #if USERTL
 #include <fribidi.h>
@@ -83,9 +90,13 @@
 #include <X11/Xatom.h>
 #include <X11/keysym.h>
 #include <X11/Xutil.h>
-#include <X11/Xresource.h>
 #include <X11/Xft/Xft.h>
 
+// include xresources
+#if USEXRESOURCES
+#include <X11/Xresource.h>
+#endif
+
 // include pango used for markup
 #if USEPANGO
 #include <pango/pango.h>
diff --git a/toggle.mk b/toggle.mk
index 5842101..aa14dd3 100644
--- a/toggle.mk
+++ b/toggle.mk
@@ -29,3 +29,7 @@ OPENSSLCONF     = openssl
 # Comment these lines if you don't need it.
 LIBCONFIGTOGGLE = -DCONFIG
 LIBCONFIGCONF   = libconfig
+
+# .Xresources/xrdb support
+# Comment this line if you don't need it.
+XRDBTOGGLE      = -DXRESOURCES