diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index d13c91f459efebe6273d44ddcf7c5161a6031e7b..abb938f26d98b30f76c7c02f24591bf9cfe59098 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -331,9 +331,9 @@ build_sdl()
     chmod +x configure >> $LOGFILE 2>&1 || failure
     cd $ROOT/build/sdl || failure
     if [ "$1" == "$TARGET_MAC" ]; then
-        $ROOT/3rdparty/sdl/configure --prefix=$ROOT/install --enable-shared=no --enable-static=yes --enable-screensaver=yes --enable-video-x11=no >> $LOGFILE 2>&1 || failure
+        $ROOT/3rdparty/sdl/configure --prefix=$ROOT/install --enable-shared=no --enable-static=yes --enable-video-x11=no >> $LOGFILE 2>&1 || failure
     else
-        $ROOT/3rdparty/sdl/configure --prefix=$ROOT/install --enable-shared=no --enable-static=yes --enable-screensaver=yes >> $LOGFILE 2>&1 || failure
+        $ROOT/3rdparty/sdl/configure --prefix=$ROOT/install --enable-shared=no --enable-static=yes >> $LOGFILE 2>&1 || failure
     fi
     make >> $LOGFILE 2>&1 || failure
     make install >> $LOGFILE 2>&1 || failure
diff --git a/src/framework/WindowManager.cpp b/src/framework/WindowManager.cpp
index 3e8d08eb661bd7c4bd612acf2986b16fb5a4c3f8..77799cd172cdb79319f087e00709bd92972d22d3 100644
--- a/src/framework/WindowManager.cpp
+++ b/src/framework/WindowManager.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ bool WindowManager::initialize(const int width, const int height, const int fram
 
 	atexit(SDL_Quit);
 
+	// allow screensaver (or we might block BOINC's own, our parent)
+	SDL_EnableScreenSaver();
+	if (SDL_IsScreenSaverEnabled == SDL_FALSE) {
+		cerr << "Screensavers couldn't be enabled! This might break usage as BOINC screensaver..." << endl;
+	}
+
 	// retrieve current video settings (of the primary display)
 	SDL_DisplayMode mode;
 	if (!SDL_GetDesktopDisplayMode(0, &mode)) {