diff --git a/dtool/Config.pp b/dtool/Config.pp
index ae149a7510..4745de9606 100644
--- a/dtool/Config.pp
+++ b/dtool/Config.pp
@@ -153,8 +153,18 @@
 // Should we try to build the SGI-specific glxdisplay?
 #define HAVE_SGIGL
 
-// Should we try to build the DirectX interface?
-#define HAVE_DX
+// Should we try to build the DirectX interface?  What additional
+// libraries do we need?
+#define DX_IPATH
+#define DX_LPATH
+#if $[eq $[PLATFORM],Win32]
+  #define DX_LIBS \
+    dxguid.lib winmm.lib kernel32.lib gdi32.lib comdlg32.lib winspool.lib \
+    user32.lib advapi32.lib ddraw.lib d3dim.lib
+#else
+  #define DX_LIBS
+#endif
+#defer HAVE_DX $[libtest $[DX_LPATH],$[DX_LIBS]]
 
 // Do you want to build the Renderman interface?
 #define HAVE_RIB
diff --git a/dtool/LocalSetup.pp b/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
index 51f9b66170..23bbb1a785 100644
--- a/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
+++ b/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ $[define] HAVE_GLUT 1
 $[undef] HAVE_GLUT
 #endif
 
+/* Define if we have DirectX installed and want to build for DX.  */
+#if $[HAVE_DX]
+$[define] HAVE_DX 1
+#else
+$[undef] HAVE_DX
+#endif
+
 /* Define if we want to build the Renderman interface.  */
 #if $[HAVE_RIB]
 $[define] HAVE_RIB 1
diff --git a/panda/src/dxgsg/Sources.pp b/panda/src/dxgsg/Sources.pp
index ffdf0d2544..cc99d81732 100644
--- a/panda/src/dxgsg/Sources.pp
+++ b/panda/src/dxgsg/Sources.pp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #define DIRECTORY_IF_DX yes
 
 #define OTHER_LIBS interrogatedb:c dconfig:c dtoolutil:c dtoolbase:c dtool:m
+#define USE_DX yes
 
 #begin lib_target
   #define TARGET dxgsg
diff --git a/panda/src/wdxdisplay/Sources.pp b/panda/src/wdxdisplay/Sources.pp
index fcd83ac22c..e26eca001a 100644
--- a/panda/src/wdxdisplay/Sources.pp
+++ b/panda/src/wdxdisplay/Sources.pp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #define DIRECTORY_IF_DX yes
 
 #define OTHER_LIBS interrogatedb:c dconfig:c dtoolutil:c dtoolbase:c dtool:m
+#define USE_DX yes
 
 #begin lib_target
   #define TARGET wdxdisplay