diff --git a/ConfigureChecks.cmake b/ConfigureChecks.cmake
index 2200621d..bd592444 100644
--- a/ConfigureChecks.cmake
+++ b/ConfigureChecks.cmake
@@ -147,10 +147,6 @@ if (GCRYPT_FOUND)
   set(HAVE_LIBGCRYPT 1)
 endif (GCRYPT_FOUND)
 
-if (ZLIB_LIBRARY)
-  set(HAVE_LIBZ 1)
-endif (ZLIB_LIBRARY)
-
 if (CMAKE_HAVE_THREADS_LIBRARY)
     if (CMAKE_USE_PTHREADS_INIT)
         set(HAVE_PTHREAD 1)
diff --git a/config.h.cmake b/config.h.cmake
index d61f5859..5c88f4f0 100644
--- a/config.h.cmake
+++ b/config.h.cmake
@@ -98,9 +98,6 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `gcrypt' library (-lgcrypt). */
 #cmakedefine HAVE_LIBGCRYPT 1
 
-/* Define to 1 if you have the `z' library (-lz). */
-#cmakedefine HAVE_LIBZ 1
-
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `pthread' library (-lpthread). */
 #cmakedefine HAVE_PTHREAD 1
 
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index d783e7ac..c230ef6a 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ set(libssh_SRCS
   ecdh.c
   error.c
   getpass.c
-  gzip.c
   init.c
   kex.c
   known_hosts.c
@@ -157,6 +156,13 @@ if (WITH_SERVER)
   )
 endif (WITH_SERVER)
 
+if (WITH_ZLIB)
+  set(libssh_SRCS
+    ${libssh_SRCS}
+    gzip.c
+  )
+endif(WITH_ZLIB)
+
 include_directories(
   ${LIBSSH_PUBLIC_INCLUDE_DIRS}
   ${LIBSSH_PRIVATE_INCLUDE_DIRS}
diff --git a/src/gzip.c b/src/gzip.c
index f89d8645..89689934 100644
--- a/src/gzip.c
+++ b/src/gzip.c
@@ -24,11 +24,9 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-#if defined(HAVE_LIBZ) && defined(WITH_LIBZ)
-
-#include <zlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <zlib.h>
 
 #include "libssh/priv.h"
 #include "libssh/buffer.h"
@@ -220,5 +218,4 @@ int decompress_buffer(ssh_session session,ssh_buffer buf, size_t maxlen){
   return 0;
 }
 
-#endif /* HAVE_LIBZ && WITH_LIBZ */
 /* vim: set ts=2 sw=2 et cindent: */
diff --git a/src/kex.c b/src/kex.c
index 92c47779..438f398f 100644
--- a/src/kex.c
+++ b/src/kex.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 #define DES "3des-cbc"
 #endif
 
-#if defined(HAVE_LIBZ) && defined(WITH_LIBZ)
+#ifdef WITH_LIBZ
 #define ZLIB "none,zlib,zlib@openssh.com"
 #else
 #define ZLIB "none"
diff --git a/src/misc.c b/src/misc.c
index bef85313..b128e5ea 100644
--- a/src/misc.c
+++ b/src/misc.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 #define CRYPTO_STRING ""
 #endif
 
-#if defined(HAVE_LIBZ) && defined(WITH_LIBZ)
+#ifdef WITH_LIBZ
 #define LIBZ_STRING "/zlib"
 #else
 #define LIBZ_STRING ""
diff --git a/src/packet.c b/src/packet.c
index 1bfbae1f..33b284a2 100644
--- a/src/packet.c
+++ b/src/packet.c
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ int ssh_packet_socket_callback(const void *data, size_t receivedlen, void *user)
       ssh_log(session, SSH_LOG_PACKET,
           "After padding, %d bytes left in buffer",
           buffer_get_rest_len(session->in_buffer));
-#if defined(HAVE_LIBZ) && defined(WITH_LIBZ)
+#ifdef WITH_LIBZ
       if (session->current_crypto
           && session->current_crypto->do_compress_in
           && buffer_get_rest_len(session->in_buffer)) {
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ static int packet_send2(ssh_session session) {
   ssh_log(session, SSH_LOG_PACKET,
       "Writing on the wire a packet having %u bytes before", currentlen);
 
-#if defined(HAVE_LIBZ) && defined(WITH_LIBZ)
+#ifdef WITH_LIBZ
   if (session->current_crypto
       && session->current_crypto->do_compress_out
       && buffer_get_rest_len(session->out_buffer)) {