diff --git a/common.pri b/common.pri
index 141eeacb..28f63c91 100644
--- a/common.pri
+++ b/common.pri
@@ -13,4 +13,6 @@ include(eigen.pri)
 include(boost.pri)
 include(glib-2.0.pri)
 include(sparkle.pri)
+include(harfbuzz.pri)
 include(freetype.pri)
+include(fontconfig.pri)
diff --git a/fontconfig.pri b/fontconfig.pri
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8e2ef1a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fontconfig.pri
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Detect fontconfig, then use this priority list to determine
+# which library to use:
+#
+# Priority
+# 1. FONTCONFIG_INCLUDEPATH / FONTCONFIG_LIBPATH (qmake parameter, not checked it given on commandline)
+# 2. OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES (environment variable)
+# 3. system's standard include paths from pkg-config
+
+fontconfig {
+
+# read environment variables
+OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR = $$(OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES)
+FONTCONFIG_DIR = $$(FONTCONFIGDIR)
+
+!isEmpty(OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR) {
+  isEmpty(FONTCONFIG_INCLUDEPATH) {
+    FONTCONFIG_INCLUDEPATH = $$OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR/include/fontconfig
+    FONTCONFIG_LIBPATH = $$OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR/lib
+  }
+}
+
+isEmpty(FONTCONFIG_INCLUDEPATH) {
+  FONTCONFIG_CFLAGS = $$system("pkg-config --cflags fontconfig")
+} else {
+  FONTCONFIG_CFLAGS = -I$$FONTCONFIG_INCLUDEPATH
+}
+
+isEmpty(FONTCONFIG_LIBPATH) {
+  FONTCONFIG_LIBS = $$system("pkg-config --libs fontconfig")
+} else {
+  FONTCONFIG_LIBS = -L$$FONTCONFIG_LIBPATH -lfontconfig
+}
+
+QMAKE_CXXFLAGS += $$FONTCONFIG_CFLAGS
+LIBS += $$FONTCONFIG_LIBS
+}
diff --git a/freetype.pri b/freetype.pri
index d8a3e3cb..1f0f9655 100644
--- a/freetype.pri
+++ b/freetype.pri
@@ -1,5 +1,36 @@
+# Detect freetype2, then use this priority list to determine
+# which library to use:
+#
+# Priority
+# 1. FREETYPE_INCLUDEPATH / FREETYPE_LIBPATH (qmake parameter, not checked it given on commandline)
+# 2. OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES (environment variable)
+# 3. system's standard include paths from pkg-config
+
 freetype {
-  QMAKE_CXXFLAGS += `pkg-config --cflags freetype2 harfbuzz fontconfig`
-  LIBS += `pkg-config --libs freetype2 harfbuzz fontconfig`
+
+# read environment variables
+OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR = $$(OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES)
+FREETYPE_DIR = $$(FREETYPEDIR)
+
+!isEmpty(OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR) {
+  isEmpty(FREETYPE_INCLUDEPATH) {
+    FREETYPE_INCLUDEPATH = $$OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR/include/freetype2
+    FREETYPE_LIBPATH = $$OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR/lib
+  }
 }
 
+isEmpty(FREETYPE_INCLUDEPATH) {
+  FREETYPE_CFLAGS = $$system("pkg-config --cflags freetype2")
+} else {
+  FREETYPE_CFLAGS = -I$$FREETYPE_INCLUDEPATH
+}
+
+isEmpty(FREETYPE_LIBPATH) {
+  FREETYPE_LIBS = $$system("pkg-config --libs freetype2")
+} else {
+  FREETYPE_LIBS = -L$$FREETYPE_LIBPATH -lfreetype
+}
+
+QMAKE_CXXFLAGS += $$FREETYPE_CFLAGS
+LIBS += $$FREETYPE_LIBS
+}
diff --git a/harfbuzz.pri b/harfbuzz.pri
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a60096f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/harfbuzz.pri
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Detect harfbuzz, then use this priority list to determine
+# which library to use:
+#
+# Priority
+# 1. HARFBUZZ_INCLUDEPATH / HARFBUZZ_LIBPATH (qmake parameter, not checked it given on commandline)
+# 2. OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES (environment variable)
+# 3. system's standard include paths from pkg-config
+
+harfbuzz {
+
+# read environment variables
+OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR = $$(OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES)
+HARFBUZZ_DIR = $$(HARFBUZZDIR)
+
+!isEmpty(OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR) {
+  isEmpty(HARFBUZZ_INCLUDEPATH) {
+    HARFBUZZ_INCLUDEPATH = $$OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR/include/harfbuzz
+    HARFBUZZ_LIBPATH = $$OPENSCAD_LIBRARIES_DIR/lib
+  }
+}
+
+isEmpty(HARFBUZZ_INCLUDEPATH) {
+  HARFBUZZ_CFLAGS = $$system("pkg-config --cflags harfbuzz")
+} else {
+  HARFBUZZ_CFLAGS = -I$$HARFBUZZ_INCLUDEPATH
+}
+
+isEmpty(HARFBUZZ_LIBPATH) {
+  HARFBUZZ_LIBS = $$system("pkg-config --libs harfbuzz")
+} else {
+  HARFBUZZ_LIBS = -L$$HARFBUZZ_LIBPATH -lharfbuzz
+}
+
+QMAKE_CXXFLAGS += $$HARFBUZZ_CFLAGS
+LIBS += $$HARFBUZZ_LIBS
+}
diff --git a/openscad.pro b/openscad.pro
index 38e1f3b7..7a418809 100644
--- a/openscad.pro
+++ b/openscad.pro
@@ -155,7 +155,9 @@ CONFIG += opencsg
 CONFIG += boost
 CONFIG += eigen
 CONFIG += glib-2.0
+CONFIG += harfbuzz
 CONFIG += freetype
+CONFIG += fontconfig
 
 #Uncomment the following line to enable QCodeEdit
 #CONFIG += qcodeedit