diff --git a/build/ssdeep.m4 b/build/ssdeep.m4
index 38b9a5a5..ec9747fb 100644
--- a/build/ssdeep.m4
+++ b/build/ssdeep.m4
@@ -62,19 +62,14 @@ if test -z "${SSDEEP_CFLAGS}"; then
         SSDEEP_FOUND=-1
     fi
 else
-    if test -z "${SSDEEP_MANDATORY}" || test "x${SSDEEP_MANDATORY}" == "xno"; then
-        SSDEEP_FOUND=2
-        AC_MSG_NOTICE([SSDEEP is disabled by default.])
-    else
-        SSDEEP_FOUND=1
-        AC_MSG_NOTICE([using SSDEEP v${SSDEEP_VERSION}])
-        SSDEEP_CFLAGS="-DWITH_SSDEEP ${SSDEEP_CFLAGS}"
-        SSDEEP_DISPLAY="${SSDEEP_LDADD} ${SSDEEP_LDFLAGS}, ${SSDEEP_CFLAGS}"
-        AC_SUBST(SSDEEP_LDFLAGS)
-        AC_SUBST(SSDEEP_LDADD)
-        AC_SUBST(SSDEEP_CFLAGS)
-        AC_SUBST(SSDEEP_DISPLAY)
-    fi
+    SSDEEP_FOUND=1
+    AC_MSG_NOTICE([using SSDEEP v${SSDEEP_VERSION}])
+    SSDEEP_CFLAGS="-DWITH_SSDEEP ${SSDEEP_CFLAGS}"
+    SSDEEP_DISPLAY="${SSDEEP_LDADD} ${SSDEEP_LDFLAGS}, ${SSDEEP_CFLAGS}"
+    AC_SUBST(SSDEEP_LDFLAGS)
+    AC_SUBST(SSDEEP_LDADD)
+    AC_SUBST(SSDEEP_CFLAGS)
+    AC_SUBST(SSDEEP_DISPLAY)
 fi