diff --git a/BUILD.md b/BUILD.md
index 95cec0a..07388a6 100644
--- a/BUILD.md
+++ b/BUILD.md
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ The presence of optional libraries on the system will trigger compilation of ext
 
   + [Cairo](http://cairographics.org) required for cairo- filters and mixers
 
+## Optional build flags
+
+  + `-DWITHOUT_FACERECOGNITION=ON` - Disable face recognition plugins (facedetect and facebl0r) to avoid protobuf conflicts with applications like MLT
+
 It is recommended to use a separate `build` sub-folder.
 
 ```
@@ -18,6 +22,13 @@ cd build && cmake ../
 make
 ```
 
+To disable face recognition plugins (recommended when using with MLT):
+```
+mkdir -p build
+cd build && cmake -DWITHOUT_FACERECOGNITION=ON ../
+make
+```
+
 Also ninja and nmake are supported through cmake:
 ```
 cmake -G 'Ninja' ../
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3787ac4..9bb5b8c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ set (VERSION 2.5.1)
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
 option (WITHOUT_OPENCV "Disable plugins dependent upon OpenCV" OFF)
+option (WITHOUT_FACERECOGNITION "Disable facedetect plugin to avoid protobuf conflicts" OFF)
+
 if (NOT WITHOUT_OPENCV)
   find_package (OpenCV)
 endif ()
diff --git a/src/filter/facebl0r/CMakeLists.txt b/src/filter/facebl0r/CMakeLists.txt
index 0cba89d..ca05a2a 100644
--- a/src/filter/facebl0r/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/filter/facebl0r/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
-set (SOURCES facebl0r.cpp)
-set (TARGET facebl0r)
+# facebl0r filter - requires OpenCV (and protobuf)
+# This filter can cause conflicts with applications that also use protobuf
+# such as MLT, so it can be disabled with -DWITHOUT_FACERECOGNITION=ON
 
-if (MSVC)
-  set (SOURCES ${SOURCES} ${FREI0R_DEF})
-endif (MSVC)
+if (OpenCV_FOUND AND NOT WITHOUT_FACERECOGNITION)
+  set (SOURCES facebl0r.cpp)
+  set (TARGET facebl0r)
 
-include_directories(${OpenCV_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-add_library (${TARGET}  MODULE ${SOURCES})
-set_target_properties (${TARGET} PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
-target_link_libraries(${TARGET} ${OpenCV_LIBS})
+  if (MSVC)
+    set (SOURCES ${SOURCES} ${FREI0R_DEF})
+  endif (MSVC)
 
-install (TARGETS ${TARGET} LIBRARY DESTINATION ${LIBDIR})
+  include_directories(${OpenCV_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+  add_library (${TARGET} MODULE ${SOURCES})
+  set_target_properties (${TARGET} PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
+  target_link_libraries(${TARGET} ${OpenCV_LIBS})
+
+  install (TARGETS ${TARGET} LIBRARY DESTINATION ${LIBDIR})
+endif()
diff --git a/src/filter/facedetect/CMakeLists.txt b/src/filter/facedetect/CMakeLists.txt
index b9ea1cd..ea17fcb 100644
--- a/src/filter/facedetect/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/filter/facedetect/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
-set (SOURCES facedetect.cpp)
-set (TARGET facedetect)
+# facedetect filter - requires OpenCV (and protobuf)
+# This filter can cause conflicts with applications that also use protobuf
+# such as MLT, so it can be disabled with -DWITHOUT_FACERECOGNITION=ON
 
-if (MSVC)
-  set (SOURCES ${SOURCES} ${FREI0R_DEF})
-endif (MSVC)
+if (OpenCV_FOUND AND NOT WITHOUT_FACERECOGNITION)
+  set (SOURCES facedetect.cpp)
+  set (TARGET facedetect)
 
-include_directories(${OpenCV_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-add_library (${TARGET}  MODULE ${SOURCES})
-set_target_properties (${TARGET} PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
-target_link_libraries(${TARGET} ${OpenCV_LIBS})
+  if (MSVC)
+    set (SOURCES ${SOURCES} ${FREI0R_DEF})
+  endif (MSVC)
 
-install (TARGETS ${TARGET} LIBRARY DESTINATION ${LIBDIR})
+  include_directories(${OpenCV_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+  add_library (${TARGET} MODULE ${SOURCES})
+  set_target_properties (${TARGET} PROPERTIES PREFIX "")
+  target_link_libraries(${TARGET} ${OpenCV_LIBS})
+
+  install (TARGETS ${TARGET} LIBRARY DESTINATION ${LIBDIR})
+endif()