diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 250ab265c..f99425d85 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -59,10 +59,6 @@ set(ESSENTIA_USE_TENSORFLOW OFF)
 set(ESSENTIA_USE_VAMP OFF)
 set(ESSENTIA_USE_GAIA OFF)
 
-if(FFMPEG_FOUND)
-  set(ESSENTIA_USE_FFMPEG ON)
-endif()
-
 if(USE_KISSFFT)
   set(ESSENTIA_USE_KISSFFT ON)
 else()
@@ -81,6 +77,12 @@ else()
   endif()
 endif()
 
+if(FFMPEG_FOUND)
+  set(ESSENTIA_USE_FFMPEG ON)
+else()
+  message(WARNING "FFmpeg not found - compilation of audio loaders/writers disabled!")
+endif()
+
 if(SAMPLERATE_FOUND)
   set(ESSENTIA_USE_LIBSAMPLERATE ON)
 endif()
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 93edd69db..52af26d12 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ target_link_libraries(essentia PUBLIC Eigen3::Eigen)
 if(ESSENTIA_USE_FFMPEG)
   include_directories(${AVCODEC_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${AVFORMAT_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${AVUTIL_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${SWRESAMPLE_INCLUDE_DIRS})
   target_link_libraries(essentia PUBLIC ${AVCODEC_LIBRARIES} ${AVFORMAT_LIBRARIES} ${AVUTIL_LIBRARIES} ${SWRESAMPLE_LIBRARIES})
+  set(ENABLE_AUDIOLOADER ON)
+  set(ENABLE_AUDIOWRITER ON)
 endif()
 
 if(ESSENTIA_USE_FFTW)
diff --git a/src/algorithms/essentia_algorithms_reg_2.cpp b/src/algorithms/essentia_algorithms_reg_2.cpp
index 1489b3625..64d3edbaa 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/essentia_algorithms_reg_2.cpp
+++ b/src/algorithms/essentia_algorithms_reg_2.cpp
@@ -52,17 +52,21 @@
 #include "algorithms/highlevel/intensity.h"
 #include "algorithms/highlevel/pca.h"
 #include "algorithms/highlevel/sbic.h"
-#include "algorithms/io/audioloader.h"
 #include "algorithms/io/audioonsetsmarker.h"
-#include "algorithms/io/audiowriter.h"
+#if ENABLE_AUDIOLOADER
+#include "algorithms/io/audioloader.h"
 #include "algorithms/io/easyloader.h"
 #include "algorithms/io/eqloudloader.h"
+#include "algorithms/io/monoloader.h"
+#endif
+#if ENABLE_AUDIOWRITER
+#include "algorithms/io/audiowriter.h"
+#include "algorithms/io/monowriter.h"
+#endif
 #include "algorithms/io/fileoutputproxy.h"
 #if ENABLE_TAGLIB
 #include "algorithms/io/metadatareader.h"
 #endif
-#include "algorithms/io/monoloader.h"
-#include "algorithms/io/monowriter.h"
 #if ENABLE_YAML
 #include "algorithms/io/yamlinput.h"
 #endif
@@ -350,16 +354,20 @@ ESSENTIA_API void registerAlgorithm() {
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<Intensity> regIntensity;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<PCA> regPCA;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<SBic> regSBic;
-    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioLoader> regAudioLoader;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioOnsetsMarker> regAudioOnsetsMarker;
-    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioWriter> regAudioWriter;
+#if ENABLE_AUDIOLOADER
+    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioLoader> regAudioLoader;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<EasyLoader> regEasyLoader;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<EqloudLoader> regEqloudLoader;
+    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MonoLoader> regMonoLoader;
+#endif
+#if ENABLE_AUDIOWRITER
+    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioWriter> regAudioWriter;
+    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MonoWriter> regMonoWriter;
+#endif
 #if ENABLE_TAGLIB
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MetadataReader> regMetadataReader;
 #endif
-    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MonoLoader> regMonoLoader;
-    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MonoWriter> regMonoWriter;
 #if ENABLE_YAML
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<YamlInput> regYamlInput;
 #endif
@@ -633,17 +641,21 @@ ESSENTIA_API void registerAlgorithm() {
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<DynamicComplexity, essentia::standard::DynamicComplexity> regDynamicComplexity;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<FadeDetection, essentia::standard::FadeDetection> regFadeDetection;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<SBic, essentia::standard::SBic> regSBic;
-    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioLoader, essentia::standard::AudioLoader> regAudioLoader;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioOnsetsMarker, essentia::standard::AudioOnsetsMarker> regAudioOnsetsMarker;
-    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioWriter, essentia::standard::AudioWriter> regAudioWriter;
+#if ENABLE_AUDIOLOADER
+    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioLoader, essentia::standard::AudioLoader> regAudioLoader;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<EasyLoader, essentia::standard::EasyLoader> regEasyLoader;
+#endif
+#if ENABLE_AUDIOWRITER
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<EqloudLoader, essentia::standard::EqloudLoader> regEqloudLoader;
+    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MonoLoader, essentia::standard::MonoLoader> regMonoLoader;
+    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<AudioWriter, essentia::standard::AudioWriter> regAudioWriter;
+    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MonoWriter, essentia::standard::MonoWriter> regMonoWriter;
+#endif
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<FileOutputProxy> regFileOutputProxy;
 #if ENABLE_TAGLIB
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MetadataReader, essentia::standard::MetadataReader> regMetadataReader;
 #endif
-    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MonoLoader, essentia::standard::MonoLoader> regMonoLoader;
-    AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<MonoWriter, essentia::standard::MonoWriter> regMonoWriter;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<BeatsLoudness, essentia::standard::BeatsLoudness> regBeatsLoudness;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<BeatTrackerDegara, essentia::standard::BeatTrackerDegara> regBeatTrackerDegara;
     AlgorithmFactory::Registrar<BeatTrackerMultiFeature, essentia::standard::BeatTrackerMultiFeature> regBeatTrackerMultiFeature;
diff --git a/src/algorithms/essentia_algorithms_reg_2.h.in b/src/algorithms/essentia_algorithms_reg_2.h.in
index 065ca851e..67c22d037 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/essentia_algorithms_reg_2.h.in
+++ b/src/algorithms/essentia_algorithms_reg_2.h.in
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@
 #ifndef ESSENTIA_ALGORITHMS_REG_H_
 #define ESSENTIA_ALGORITHMS_REG_H_
 
+#ifndef ENABLE_AUDIOLOADER
+#cmakedefine01 ENABLE_AUDIOLOADER
+#endif
+
+#ifndef ENABLE_AUDIOWRITER
+#cmakedefine01 ENABLE_AUDIOWRITER
+#endif
+
 #ifndef ENABLE_FFTW
 #cmakedefine01 ENABLE_FFTW
 #endif
diff --git a/src/algorithms/io/CMakeLists.txt b/src/algorithms/io/CMakeLists.txt
index d494f97cc..3e8814421 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/io/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/algorithms/io/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,27 +1,27 @@
 target_sources(essentia
   PRIVATE
     audioonsetsmarker.cpp
-    audiowriter.cpp
-    easyloader.cpp
-    eqloudloader.cpp
     fileoutputproxy.cpp
-    monoloader.cpp
-    monowriter.cpp
     yamloutput.cpp
     audioonsetsmarker.h
-    audiowriter.h
-    easyloader.h
-    eqloudloader.h
     fileoutputproxy.h
-    monoloader.h
-    monowriter.h
     yamloutput.h)
 
 if(ESSENTIA_USE_FFMPEG)
   target_sources(essentia
     PRIVATE
       audioloader.cpp
-      audioloader.h)
+      audiowriter.cpp
+      easyloader.cpp
+      eqloudloader.cpp
+      monoloader.cpp
+      monowriter.cpp
+      audioloader.h
+      audiowriter.h
+      easyloader.h
+      eqloudloader.h
+      monoloader.h
+      monowriter.h)
 endif()
 
 if(ESSENTIA_USE_YAML)