diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 423390e6a..67b6e91ab 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -124,7 +124,16 @@ endif(NOT GETTEXT_XGETTEXT_EXECUTABLE)
 option(ENABLE_VISUALISATIONS "Use libprojectm visualisations" ON)
 option(BUNDLE_PROJECTM_PRESETS "Install Clementine's own copies of libprojectm presets - disable this if you want to use a system package instead" ON)
 if(ENABLE_VISUALISATIONS)
-  add_subdirectory(3rdparty/libprojectm)
+  # When/if upstream accepts our patches then these options can be used to link
+  # to system installed 3rdparty libraries instead.
+  option(USE_SYSTEM_PROJECTM "Don't set this option unless your system projectM library has been compiled with the Clementine patches in 3rdparty" OFF)
+  if(USE_SYSTEM_PROJECTM)
+    pkg_check_modules(LIBPROJECTM projectM)
+  else(USE_SYSTEM_PROJECTM)
+    add_subdirectory(3rdparty/libprojectm)
+    set(LIBPROJECTM_INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/3rdparty/libprojectm)
+    set(LIBPROJECTM_LIBRARIES projectM)
+  endif(USE_SYSTEM_PROJECTM)
 endif(ENABLE_VISUALISATIONS)
 
 # Test whether libsqlite3 is available and if FTS3 is enabled in it
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index f5911a830..a1005a62a 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ include_directories(../3rdparty/qtsingleapplication)
 include_directories(../3rdparty/qtiocompressor)
 include_directories(../3rdparty/qtwin)
 include_directories(../3rdparty/qxt)
-include_directories(../3rdparty/libprojectm)
 
-include_directories(${GLIB_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES})
-include_directories(${LIBXML_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES})
-include_directories(${GOBJECT_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES})
+include_directories(${GLIB_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+include_directories(${LIBXML_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+include_directories(${GOBJECT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+include_directories(${LIBPROJECTM_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
 cmake_policy(SET CMP0011 NEW)
 include(../cmake/AddEngine.cmake)
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ target_link_libraries(clementine_lib
 )
 
 if(ENABLE_VISUALISATIONS)
-  target_link_libraries(clementine_lib projectM)
+  target_link_libraries(clementine_lib ${LIBPROJECTM_LIBRARIES})
 endif(ENABLE_VISUALISATIONS)
 
 if(HAVE_LIBGPOD)
diff --git a/src/config.h.in b/src/config.h.in
index 99d534021..874c9440d 100644
--- a/src/config.h.in
+++ b/src/config.h.in
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 
 #cmakedefine ENABLE_VISUALISATIONS
 #cmakedefine VISUALISATIONS_USE_INSTALL_PREFIX
+#cmakedefine USE_SYSTEM_PROJECTM
 
 #cmakedefine SNOW_LEOPARD
 #cmakedefine LEOPARD
diff --git a/src/visualisations/projectmpresetmodel.cpp b/src/visualisations/projectmpresetmodel.cpp
index 0dc1f88a1..74398015a 100644
--- a/src/visualisations/projectmpresetmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/visualisations/projectmpresetmodel.cpp
@@ -14,10 +14,15 @@
    along with Clementine.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
 
+#include "config.h"
 #include "projectmpresetmodel.h"
 #include "projectmvisualisation.h"
 
-#include <projectM.hpp>
+#ifdef USE_SYSTEM_PROJECTM
+#  include <libprojectM/projectM.hpp>
+#else
+#  include "projectM.hpp"
+#endif
 
 #include <QtDebug>
 #include <QDir>
diff --git a/src/visualisations/projectmvisualisation.cpp b/src/visualisations/projectmvisualisation.cpp
index bac3cf08f..2fdae7c37 100644
--- a/src/visualisations/projectmvisualisation.cpp
+++ b/src/visualisations/projectmvisualisation.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@
 #include <QtDebug>
 #include <QTimerEvent>
 
-#include <projectM.hpp>
+#ifdef USE_SYSTEM_PROJECTM
+#  include <libprojectM/projectM.hpp>
+#else
+#  include "projectM.hpp"
+#endif
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_MAC
 #  include "core/mac_startup.h"
@@ -50,7 +54,7 @@ ProjectMVisualisation::ProjectMVisualisation(QObject *parent)
 {
   connect(this, SIGNAL(sceneRectChanged(QRectF)), SLOT(SceneRectChanged(QRectF)));
 
-  for (int i=0 ; i<TOTAL_RATING_TYPES ; ++i)
+  for (int i=0 ; i<4 ; ++i)
     default_rating_list_.push_back(3);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/visualisations/visualisationselector.cpp b/src/visualisations/visualisationselector.cpp
index a17ae9195..fba0c50cc 100644
--- a/src/visualisations/visualisationselector.cpp
+++ b/src/visualisations/visualisationselector.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
    along with Clementine.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
 
+#include "config.h"
 #include "projectmpresetmodel.h"
 #include "projectmvisualisation.h"
 #include "visualisationselector.h"
@@ -21,7 +22,11 @@
 
 #include <QPushButton>
 
-#include <projectM.hpp>
+#ifdef USE_SYSTEM_PROJECTM
+#  include <libprojectM/projectM.hpp>
+#else
+#  include "projectM.hpp"
+#endif
 
 VisualisationSelector::VisualisationSelector(QWidget *parent)
   : QDialog(parent),