diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 31a0053..7301f0f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1052,10 +1053,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(
 	[zlib],
 	AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-zlib], [disable zlib compilation]),,
 )
-if test x"$disable_zlib" == "xno"; then
+if test x"$disable_zlib" == "xyes"; then
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
 	zlib="zlib"
-	z_lib=${contrib_path}/zlib/.libs/libz.a
+	z_lib=-lz
 	AC_DEFINE([HAVE_ZLIB], [], [have zlib compression enabled])
 fi
 AC_SUBST(zlib)
@@ -1307,12 +1308,8 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([
     Makefile
 
     contrib/Makefile
-    contrib/blas/Makefile
     contrib/pmgZ/Makefile
     contrib/aqua/Makefile
-    contrib/opal/Makefile
-    contrib/opal/ZSI/Makefile
-    contrib/zlib/Makefile	
 	
     tools/Makefile
     tools/mesh/Makefile
diff --git a/src/mg/vgrid.c b/src/mg/vgrid.c
index d183bb2..e0669ab 100644
--- a/src/mg/vgrid.c
+++ b/src/mg/vgrid.c
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ VPUBLIC int Vgrid_gradient(Vgrid *thee, double pt[3], double grad[3]) {
  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// */
 #ifdef HAVE_ZLIB
 #define off_t long
-#include "../../contrib/zlib/zlib.h"
+#include <zlib.h>
 #endif
 VPUBLIC int Vgrid_readGZ(Vgrid *thee, const char *fname) {