diff --git a/ee/ee_core/Makefile b/ee/ee_core/Makefile
index eaa8fd0..24aea2e 100644
--- a/ee/ee_core/Makefile
+++ b/ee/ee_core/Makefile
@@ -16,16 +16,23 @@ EE_OBJS_DIR = obj/
 CHEATCORE_EE_OBJS = cheat_engine.o cheat_api.o
 
 EE_OBJS = main.o syshook.o iopmgr.o loadfile.o util.o patches.o patches_asm.o \
-	  asm.o crt0.o $(CHEATCORE_EE_OBJS)
+	  asm.o crt0.o 
 MAPFILE = ee_core.map
 
 EE_INCS := -I$(PS2SDK)/ee/include -I$(PS2SDK)/common/include -Iinclude -I.
 EE_CFLAGS = -D_EE -Os -G0 -Wall -Werror -fdata-sections -ffunction-sections $(EE_INCS)
 
+CHEATS ?= 1
+
 ifeq ($(EESIO_DEBUG),1)
 EE_CFLAGS += -D__EESIO_DEBUG
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(CHEATS),1)
+EE_CFLAGS += -DCHEAT_ENGINE
+EE_OBJS += $(CHEATCORE_EE_OBJS)
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(DTL_T10000),1)
 	EE_CFLAGS += -D_DTL_T10000
 endif
diff --git a/ee/ee_core/include/ee_core.h b/ee/ee_core/include/ee_core.h
index 60bb1e3..1c38c29 100644
--- a/ee/ee_core/include/ee_core.h
+++ b/ee/ee_core/include/ee_core.h
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ extern int GameMode;
 extern int EnableDebug;
 #define GS_BGCOLOUR *((volatile unsigned long int *)0x120000E0)
 
+#ifdef CHEAT_ENGINE
 extern int *gCheatList; // Store hooks/codes addr+val pairs
+#endif
 
 #endif
diff --git a/ee/ee_core/src/main.c b/ee/ee_core/src/main.c
index 5fdbe86..88bfa7f 100644
--- a/ee/ee_core/src/main.c
+++ b/ee/ee_core/src/main.c
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@
 #include "ee_core.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "syshook.h"
+
+#ifdef CHEAT_ENGINE
 #include "cheat_api.h"
+#endif
 
 void *ModStorageStart, *ModStorageEnd;
 void *eeloadCopy, *initUserMemory;
@@ -22,8 +25,10 @@ u32 g_compat_mask = 0;
 char GameID[16] = "__UNKNOWN__";
 int GameMode = BDM_NOP_MODE;
 int EnableDebug = 0;
-int *gCheatList = NULL; // Store hooks/codes addr+val pairs
 
+#ifdef CHEAT_ENGINE
+int *gCheatList = NULL; // Store hooks/codes addr+val pairs
+#endif
 // This function is defined as weak in ps2sdkc, so how
 // we are not using time zone, so we can safe some KB
 void _ps2sdk_timezone_update() {}
@@ -63,10 +68,12 @@ static void set_args_mod(char *arg)
     ModStorageEnd = (void *)_strtoui(_strtok(NULL, " "));
 }
 
+#ifdef CHEAT_ENGINE
 static void set_args_cheat(char *arg)
 {
     gCheatList = (void *)_strtoui(_strtok(arg, " "));
 }
+#endif
 
 static void set_args_gameid(const char *arg)
 {
@@ -95,8 +102,10 @@ static int eecoreInit(int argc, char **argv)
             set_args_drv(&argv[i][5]);
         if (!_strncmp(argv[i], "-v=", 3))
             set_args_v(&argv[i][3]);
+#ifdef CHEAT_ENGINE
         if (!_strncmp(argv[i], "-ec=", 4))
             set_args_cheat(&argv[i][4]);
+#endif
         if (!_strncmp(argv[i], "-kernel=", 8))
             set_args_kernel(&argv[i][8]);
         if (!_strncmp(argv[i], "-mod=", 5))
@@ -110,9 +119,11 @@ static int eecoreInit(int argc, char **argv)
     }
     i++;
 
+#ifdef CHEAT_ENGINE
     // Enable cheat engine
     if (gCheatList != NULL)
         EnableCheats();
+#endif
 
     /* installing kernel hooks */
     DPRINTF("Installing Kernel Hooks...\n");