diff --git a/Make.config.template b/Make.config.template
index 758fc14..3296992 100644
--- a/Make.config.template
+++ b/Make.config.template
@@ -16,12 +16,6 @@ CFLAGS   = -g -O2 -Wall
 CXX      = g++
 CXXFLAGS = -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
-ifdef PLUGIN
-CFLAGS   += -fPIC
-CXXFLAGS += -fPIC
-DEFINES += -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE
-endif
-
 ### The directory environment:
 
 #DVBDIR   = /usr/src/v4l-dvb/linux
diff --git a/Make.global b/Make.global
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ef70f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Make.global
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#
+# Strictly necessary Makefile options for the Video Disk Recorder
+#
+# See the main source file 'vdr.c' for copyright information and
+# how to reach the author.
+
+# Plugins need to be compiled with position independent code, otherwise linking
+# VDR against it will fail.
+ifdef PLUGIN
+CFLAGS   += -fPIC
+CXXFLAGS += -fPIC
+endif
+
+DEFINES += -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e13ea5e..faa36e7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ CONFDIR  = $(VIDEODIR)
 DOXYGEN  = /usr/bin/doxygen
 DOXYFILE = Doxyfile
 
+-include Make.global
 -include Make.config
 
 SILIB    = $(LSIDIR)/libsi.a
diff --git a/PLUGINS/src/dvbsddevice/Makefile b/PLUGINS/src/dvbsddevice/Makefile
index 8ef273c..4eeec31 100644
--- a/PLUGINS/src/dvbsddevice/Makefile
+++ b/PLUGINS/src/dvbsddevice/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ VERSION = $(shell grep 'static const char \*VERSION *=' $(PLUGIN).c | awk '{ pri
 CXX      ?= g++
 CXXFLAGS ?= -fPIC -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
+### Make sure that necessary options are included:
+
+-include $(VDRDIR)/Make.global
+
 ### The directory environment:
 
 VDRDIR = ../../..
diff --git a/PLUGINS/src/hello/Makefile b/PLUGINS/src/hello/Makefile
index ea5b806..67a54d5 100644
--- a/PLUGINS/src/hello/Makefile
+++ b/PLUGINS/src/hello/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ VERSION = $(shell grep 'static const char \*VERSION *=' $(PLUGIN).c | awk '{ pri
 CXX      ?= g++
 CXXFLAGS ?= -fPIC -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
+### Make sure that necessary options are included:
+
+-include $(VDRDIR)/Make.global
+
 ### The directory environment:
 
 VDRDIR = ../../..
diff --git a/PLUGINS/src/osddemo/Makefile b/PLUGINS/src/osddemo/Makefile
index 1b1c622..802f678 100644
--- a/PLUGINS/src/osddemo/Makefile
+++ b/PLUGINS/src/osddemo/Makefile
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ VERSION = $(shell grep 'static const char \*VERSION *=' $(PLUGIN).c | awk '{ pri
 CXX      ?= g++
 CXXFLAGS ?= -fPIC -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
+### Make sure that necessary options are included:
+
+-include $(VDRDIR)/Make.global
+
 ### The directory environment:
 
 VDRDIR = ../../..
diff --git a/PLUGINS/src/pictures/Makefile b/PLUGINS/src/pictures/Makefile
index 46a262f..8305cd3 100644
--- a/PLUGINS/src/pictures/Makefile
+++ b/PLUGINS/src/pictures/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ VERSION = $(shell grep 'static const char \*VERSION *=' $(PLUGIN).c | awk '{ pri
 CXX      ?= g++
 CXXFLAGS ?= -fPIC -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
+### Make sure that necessary options are included:
+
+-include $(VDRDIR)/Make.global
+
 ### The directory environment:
 
 VDRDIR = ../../..
diff --git a/PLUGINS/src/servicedemo/Makefile b/PLUGINS/src/servicedemo/Makefile
index ea7e66a..9113217 100644
--- a/PLUGINS/src/servicedemo/Makefile
+++ b/PLUGINS/src/servicedemo/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ VERSION = $(shell grep 'static const char \*VERSION *=' $(PLUGIN1).c | awk '{ pr
 CXX      ?= g++
 CXXFLAGS ?= -fPIC -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
+### Make sure that necessary options are included:
+
+-include $(VDRDIR)/Make.global
+
 ### The directory environment:
 
 VDRDIR = ../../..
diff --git a/PLUGINS/src/skincurses/Makefile b/PLUGINS/src/skincurses/Makefile
index cade795..42934d7 100644
--- a/PLUGINS/src/skincurses/Makefile
+++ b/PLUGINS/src/skincurses/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ VERSION = $(shell grep 'static const char \*VERSION *=' $(PLUGIN).c | awk '{ pri
 CXX      ?= g++
 CXXFLAGS ?= -fPIC -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
+### Make sure that necessary options are included:
+
+-include $(VDRDIR)/Make.global
+
 ### The directory environment:
 
 VDRDIR = ../../..
diff --git a/PLUGINS/src/status/Makefile b/PLUGINS/src/status/Makefile
index 81d4163..543b2ef 100644
--- a/PLUGINS/src/status/Makefile
+++ b/PLUGINS/src/status/Makefile
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ VERSION = $(shell grep 'static const char \*VERSION *=' $(PLUGIN).c | awk '{ pri
 CXX      ?= g++
 CXXFLAGS ?= -fPIC -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
+### Make sure that necessary options are included:
+
+-include $(VDRDIR)/Make.global
+
 ### The directory environment:
 
 VDRDIR = ../../..
diff --git a/PLUGINS/src/svdrpdemo/Makefile b/PLUGINS/src/svdrpdemo/Makefile
index c835f3c..53fa8a5 100644
--- a/PLUGINS/src/svdrpdemo/Makefile
+++ b/PLUGINS/src/svdrpdemo/Makefile
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ VERSION = $(shell grep 'static const char \*VERSION *=' $(PLUGIN).c | awk '{ pri
 CXX      ?= g++
 CXXFLAGS ?= -fPIC -g -O2 -Wall -Woverloaded-virtual -Wno-parentheses
 
+### Make sure that necessary options are included:
+
+-include $(VDRDIR)/Make.global
+
 ### The directory environment:
 
 VDRDIR = ../../..
