diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ca83ea668..dda4867a2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ OPTION(FREECAD_BUILD_FEM "Build the FreeCAD FEM module, be aware, unfinished cod
 OPTION(FREECAD_BUILD_SANDBOX "Build the FreeCAD Sandbox module which is only for testing purposes" OFF)
 OPTION(FREECAD_BUILD_TEMPLATE "Build the FreeCAD template module which is only for testing purposes" OFF)
 OPTION(FREECAD_BUILD_DEBIAN "Prepare for a build of a Debian package" OFF)
+OPTION(USE_EXTERNAL_ZIPIOS "Use system installed zipios++ instead of the bundled." OFF)
 
 # ==============================================================================
 
diff --git a/src/Base/CMakeLists.txt b/src/Base/CMakeLists.txt
index 21f91d3ca..fdfb8a2b1 100644
--- a/src/Base/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/Base/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -281,7 +281,6 @@ SET(FreeCADBase_HPP_SRCS
 )
 
 SET(FreeCADBase_SRCS
-    ${zipios_SRCS}
     ${pycxx_SRCS}
     ${FreeCADBase_CPP_SRCS}
     ${FreeCADBase_HPP_SRCS}
@@ -293,6 +292,27 @@ SET(FreeCADBase_SRCS
     PreCompiled.h
 )
 
+# Use external zipios++ if specified.
+if(USE_EXTERNAL_ZIPIOS)
+    find_library(ZIPIOS_LIBRARY zipios)
+    find_path(ZIPIOS_INCLUDES zipios++/zipios-config.h)
+    if(ZIPIOS_LIBRARY)
+        message(STATUS "Found zipios++: ${ZIPIOS}")
+    endif()
+    if(ZIPIOS_INCLUDES)
+        message(STATUS "Found zipios++ headers.")
+    endif()
+    if(ZIPIOS_LIBRARY AND ZIPIOS_INCLUDES)
+        list(APPEND FreeCADBase_LIBS ${ZIPIOS_LIBRARY})
+        include_directories(${ZIPIOS_INCLUDES})
+    else()
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "Using external zipios++ was specified but was not found.")
+    endif()
+else(USE_EXTERNAL_ZIPIOS)
+    list(APPEND FreeCADBase_SRCS ${zipios_SRCS})
+endif(USE_EXTERNAL_ZIPIOS)
+
+
 if(MSVC)
 add_definitions(-D_PreComp_)
 ADD_MSVC_PRECOMPILED_HEADER("PreCompiled.h" "PreCompiled.cpp" FreeCADBase_CPP_SRCS)