diff --git a/core/CMakeLists.txt b/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 88daf27..a47c183 100644
--- a/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ if(VXL_BUILD_CORE_IMAGING)
   if(VXL_BUILD_CORE_NUMERICS)
     add_subdirectory (vil/algo)
   endif()
+else()
+  file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/vil)
+  file(WRITE ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/vil/vil_config.h "/* core imaging disabled */")
+  install(FILES ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/vil/vil_config.h DESTINATION include/vxl/core/vil)
 endif()
 
 
diff --git a/core/vpgl/algo/CMakeLists.txt b/core/vpgl/algo/CMakeLists.txt
index 9ec767a..fda53dc 100644
--- a/core/vpgl/algo/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/core/vpgl/algo/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ set( vpgl_algo_sources
   vpgl_equi_rectification.h        vpgl_equi_rectification.cxx
 )
 include(${VXL_CMAKE_DIR}/FindTIFF.cmake)
-if(TIFF_FOUND)
+if(VXL_BUILD_CORE_IMAGING)
   include_directories(${TIFF_INCLUDE_DIR})
   include( ${VXL_CMAKE_DIR}/FindGEOTIFF.cmake)
   if(GEOTIFF_FOUND)
diff --git a/core/vpgl/file_formats/CMakeLists.txt b/core/vpgl/file_formats/CMakeLists.txt
index d23a2f2..6c933f0 100644
--- a/core/vpgl/file_formats/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/core/vpgl/file_formats/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ set( vpgl_file_formats_sources
 )
 
 include(${VXL_CMAKE_DIR}/FindTIFF.cmake)
-if(TIFF_FOUND)
+if(VXL_BUILD_CORE_IMAGING)
   include_directories(${TIFF_INCLUDE_DIR})
   include( ${VXL_CMAKE_DIR}/FindGEOTIFF.cmake)
   if(GEOTIFF_FOUND)