diff --git a/include/mapnik/font_engine_freetype.hpp b/include/mapnik/font_engine_freetype.hpp
index 7b2b4aa68..87b258b2a 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/font_engine_freetype.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/font_engine_freetype.hpp
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ extern "C"
 #include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
 #include <boost/utility.hpp>
 #include <boost/ptr_container/ptr_vector.hpp>
+#ifdef MAPNIK_THREADSAFE
 #include <boost/thread/mutex.hpp>
+#endif
 
 // stl
 #include <string>
@@ -315,7 +317,9 @@ namespace mapnik
         freetype_engine();
       private:
         FT_Library library_;
+#ifdef MAPNIK_THREADSAFE
         static boost::mutex mutex_;
+#endif
         static std::map<std::string,std::string> name2file_;
     };
 
diff --git a/src/placement_finder.cpp b/src/placement_finder.cpp
index af33b2be4..7f9dac194 100644
--- a/src/placement_finder.cpp
+++ b/src/placement_finder.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,10 @@
 #include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
 #include <boost/utility.hpp>
 #include <boost/ptr_container/ptr_vector.hpp>
-#include <boost/thread/mutex.hpp>
 #include <boost/tuple/tuple.hpp>
+#ifdef MAPNIK_THREADSAFE
+#include <boost/thread/mutex.hpp>
+#endif
 
 //stl
 #include <string>