diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 58fae11b5..b436a8dfe 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ opts.AddVariables(
 
     BoolVariable('RENDERING_STATS', 'Output rendering statistics during style processing', 'False'),
 
-    BoolVariable('SVG_RENDERER', 'build support for native svg renderer', 'False'),
+    #BoolVariable('SVG_RENDERER', 'build support for native svg renderer', 'False'),
 
     # Variables for optional dependencies
     ('GEOS_CONFIG', 'The path to the geos-config executable.', 'geos-config'),
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ pickle_store = [# Scons internal variables
         'CAIROMM_LIBPATHS',
         'CAIROMM_LINKFLAGS',
         'CAIROMM_CPPPATHS',
-        'SVG_RENDERER',
+        #'SVG_RENDERER',
         'SQLITE_LINKFLAGS',
         'BOOST_LIB_VERSION_FROM_HEADER'
         ]
@@ -1740,7 +1740,8 @@ if not HELP_REQUESTED:
     # not ready for release
     SConscript('tests/cpp_tests/build.py')
 
-    # not ready for release
+    # not currently maintained
+    # https://github.com/mapnik/mapnik/issues/1438
     #if env['SVG_RENDERER']:
     #    SConscript('tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/build.py')
 
diff --git a/src/build.py b/src/build.py
index 4349e792d..c5f4a24c3 100644
--- a/src/build.py
+++ b/src/build.py
@@ -280,26 +280,27 @@ source += Split(
     grid/process_text_symbolizer.cpp
     """)
 
-if env['SVG_RENDERER']: # svg backend
-    source += Split(
-              """
-        svg/svg_renderer.cpp
-        svg/svg_generator.cpp
-        svg/svg_output_attributes.cpp
-        svg/process_symbolizers.cpp
-        svg/process_building_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_line_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_point_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_polygon_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_polygon_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_shield_symbolizer.cpp
-        svg/process_text_symbolizer.cpp
-        """)
-    lib_env.Append(CXXFLAGS = '-DSVG_RENDERER')
-    libmapnik_cxxflags.append('-DSVG_RENDERER')
+# https://github.com/mapnik/mapnik/issues/1438
+#if env['SVG_RENDERER']: # svg backend
+#    source += Split(
+#              """
+#        svg/svg_renderer.cpp
+#        svg/svg_generator.cpp
+#        svg/svg_output_attributes.cpp
+#        svg/process_symbolizers.cpp
+#        svg/process_building_symbolizer.cpp
+#        svg/process_line_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
+#        svg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp
+#        svg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
+#        svg/process_point_symbolizer.cpp
+#        svg/process_polygon_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
+#        svg/process_polygon_symbolizer.cpp
+#       svg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp
+#        svg/process_shield_symbolizer.cpp
+#        svg/process_text_symbolizer.cpp
+#        """)
+#    lib_env.Append(CXXFLAGS = '-DSVG_RENDERER')
+#    libmapnik_cxxflags.append('-DSVG_RENDERER')
 
 if env['XMLPARSER'] == 'libxml2' and env['HAS_LIBXML2']:
     source += Split(