diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 89e9b90c4..2374c8a1f 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -294,5 +294,4 @@ include_directories (${LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR})
 target_link_libraries(eressea ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES})
 target_link_libraries(convert ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES})
 target_link_libraries(test_eressea ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES})
-add_definitions(-DUSE_LIBXML2)
 endif (LIBXML2_FOUND)
diff --git a/src/convert.c b/src/convert.c
index a67c5a287..5691a3486 100644
--- a/src/convert.c
+++ b/src/convert.c
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 
 
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
 #include <kernel/xmlreader.h>
 #include <util/xml.h>
-#endif
 #include <kernel/race.h>
 #include <kernel/rules.h>
 #include <races/races.h>
@@ -21,12 +19,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     const char *mode;
 
     register_races();
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
     register_xmlreader();
-#endif
     if (argc < 2) return usage();
     mode = argv[1];
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
     if (strcmp(mode, "rules")==0) {
         const char *xmlfile, *catalog;
         if (argc < 4) return usage();
@@ -36,7 +31,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         write_rules("rules.dat");
         return 0;
     }
-#endif
     if (strcmp(mode, "po")==0) {
         return 0;
     }
diff --git a/src/eressea.c b/src/eressea.c
index f721e067a..cb02a8bd0 100644
--- a/src/eressea.c
+++ b/src/eressea.c
@@ -85,9 +85,7 @@ void game_init(void)
 
     register_weapons();
     register_xerewards();
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
     register_xmlreader();
-#endif
     register_attributes();
     register_gmcmd();
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/config.c b/src/kernel/config.c
index 1d3e6b6d2..32c7f5450 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.c
+++ b/src/kernel/config.c
@@ -73,11 +73,9 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 #include "guard.h"
 #include "prefix.h"
 
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
 /* libxml includes */
 #include <libxml/tree.h>
 #include <libxml/xpath.h>
-#endif
 
 /* external libraries */
 #include <iniparser.h>
@@ -602,9 +600,7 @@ void kernel_done(void)
     /* calling this function releases memory assigned to static variables, etc.
      * calling it is optional, e.g. a release server will most likely not do it.
      */
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
     xml_done();
-#endif
     attrib_done();
     item_done();
     message_done();
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
index 051bc0999..ace0a4cc6 100644
--- a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -48,12 +48,10 @@ without prior permission by the authors of Eressea.
 #include <util/nrmessage.h>
 #include <util/xml.h>
 
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
 /* libxml includes */
 #include <libxml/tree.h>
 #include <libxml/xpath.h>
 #include <libxml/encoding.h>
-#endif
 
 /* libc includes */
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -61,7 +59,6 @@ without prior permission by the authors of Eressea.
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
 
 static variant xml_fraction(xmlNodePtr node, const char *name) {
     xmlChar *propValue = xmlGetProp(node, BAD_CAST name);
@@ -1761,4 +1758,3 @@ void register_xmlreader(void)
     xml_register_callback(parse_strings);
     xml_register_callback(parse_messages);
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/src/util/xml.c b/src/util/xml.c
index 644698119..ec72179c3 100644
--- a/src/util/xml.c
+++ b/src/util/xml.c
@@ -16,10 +16,8 @@
 #include "log.h"
 #include "assert.h"
 
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
 #include <libxml/catalog.h>
 #include <libxml/xmlstring.h>
-#endif
 
 /* libc includes */
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -27,7 +25,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
 int xml_ivalue(xmlNodePtr node, const char *name, int dflt)
 {
     int i = dflt;
@@ -110,11 +107,9 @@ void xml_register_callback(xml_callback callback)
         insert = &(*insert)->next;
     *insert = reader;
 }
-#endif
 
 int read_xml(const char *filename, const char *catalog)
 {
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
     xml_reader *reader = xmlReaders;
     xmlDocPtr doc;
     int result;
@@ -141,8 +136,4 @@ int read_xml(const char *filename, const char *catalog)
     }
     xmlFreeDoc(doc);
     return result;
-#else
-    log_error("LIBXML2 disabled, cannot read %s.\n", filename);
-    return -1;
-#endif
 }
diff --git a/src/util/xml.h b/src/util/xml.h
index bd22e3e0a..f2dc5fda5 100644
--- a/src/util/xml.h
+++ b/src/util/xml.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-#ifdef USE_LIBXML2
   /* new xml functions: */
 #include <libxml/tree.h>
 
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@ extern "C" {
     double xml_fvalue(xmlNodePtr node, const char *name, double dflt);
     int xml_ivalue(xmlNodePtr node, const char *name, int dflt);
     bool xml_bvalue(xmlNodePtr node, const char *name, bool dflt);
-#endif
 
     void xml_done(void);
     int read_xml(const char *filename, const char *catalog);