--- a/configure.ac	
+++ a/configure.ac	
@@ -206,6 +206,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(qt,
               AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-qt],
                              [enable Qt support, (MP3 album art) [[default=auto]]]),,
               [enable_qt=auto])
+AC_ARG_WITH(qt-version,
+            AS_HELP_STRING([--with-qt-version=major],
+                           [Force specific Qt version [[default=auto]]]),,
+            [with_qt_version=auto])
 
 selected_for_media_art="no  (disabled)"
 
@@ -218,14 +222,18 @@ if test "x$enable_qt" == "xyes" && test "x$enable_gdkpixbuf" == "xyes"; then
 fi
 
 if test "x$enable_qt" != "xno" && test "x$enable_gdkpixbuf" != "xyes"; then
-   PKG_CHECK_MODULES(QT5,
-                     [Qt5Gui >= $QT5_REQUIRED],
-                     [have_qt5=yes],
-                     [have_qt5=no])
-   PKG_CHECK_MODULES(QT4,
-                     [QtGui >= $QT4_REQUIRED],
-                     [have_qt4=yes],
-                     [have_qt4=no])
+   if test "x$with_qt_version" == "xauto" || test "x$with_qt_version" == "x5"; then
+       PKG_CHECK_MODULES(QT5,
+                         [Qt5Gui >= $QT5_REQUIRED],
+                         [have_qt5=yes],
+                         [have_qt5=no])
+   fi
+   if test "x$with_qt_version" == "xauto" || test "x$with_qt_version" == "x4"; then
+       PKG_CHECK_MODULES(QT4,
+                         [QtGui >= $QT4_REQUIRED],
+                         [have_qt4=yes],
+                         [have_qt4=no])
+   fi
 
    if test "x$have_qt5" = "xyes"; then
       BACKEND_CFLAGS="$QT5_CFLAGS -fPIC"