diff --git a/ext/a52dec/gsta52dec.c b/ext/a52dec/gsta52dec.c
index e9e1e3a4d9..e59ee0d762 100644
--- a/ext/a52dec/gsta52dec.c
+++ b/ext/a52dec/gsta52dec.c
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@
 #include <gst/gst.h>
 
 #include <a52dec/a52.h>
-#include <a52dec/mm_accel.h>
+#if !defined(A52_ACCEL_DETECT)
+#  include <a52dec/mm_accel.h>
+#endif
 #include "gsta52dec.h"
 
 #if HAVE_ORC
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ gst_a52dec_class_init (GstA52DecClass * klass)
   GObjectClass *gobject_class;
   GstElementClass *gstelement_class;
   GstAudioDecoderClass *gstbase_class;
-  guint cpuflags;
+  guint cpuflags = 0;
 
   gobject_class = (GObjectClass *) klass;
   gstelement_class = (GstElementClass *) klass;
@@ -199,24 +201,23 @@ gst_a52dec_class_init (GstA52DecClass * klass)
    * generic software djbfft based one when available in the used liba52 */
 #ifdef MM_ACCEL_DJBFFT
   klass->a52_cpuflags = MM_ACCEL_DJBFFT;
+#elif defined(A52_ACCEL_DETECT)
+  klass->a52_cpuflags = A52_ACCEL_DETECT;
 #else
   klass->a52_cpuflags = 0;
 #endif
 
-#if HAVE_ORC
+#if HAVE_ORC && !defined(A52_ACCEL_DETECT)
   cpuflags = orc_target_get_default_flags (orc_target_get_by_name ("mmx"));
-
   if (cpuflags & ORC_TARGET_MMX_MMX)
     klass->a52_cpuflags |= MM_ACCEL_X86_MMX;
   if (cpuflags & ORC_TARGET_MMX_3DNOW)
     klass->a52_cpuflags |= MM_ACCEL_X86_3DNOW;
   if (cpuflags & ORC_TARGET_MMX_MMXEXT)
     klass->a52_cpuflags |= MM_ACCEL_X86_MMXEXT;
-#else
-  cpuflags = 0;
 #endif
 
-  GST_LOG ("CPU flags: a52=%08x, liboil=%08x", klass->a52_cpuflags, cpuflags);
+  GST_LOG ("CPU flags: a52=%08x, orc=%08x", klass->a52_cpuflags, cpuflags);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -245,7 +246,13 @@ gst_a52dec_start (GstAudioDecoder * dec)
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (dec, "start");
 
   klass = GST_A52DEC_CLASS (G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (a52dec));
+#if defined(A52_ACCEL_DETECT)
+  a52dec->state = a52_init ();
+  /* This line is just to avoid being accused of not using klass */
+  a52_accel (klass->a52_cpuflags & A52_ACCEL_DETECT);
+#else
   a52dec->state = a52_init (klass->a52_cpuflags);
+#endif
 
   if (!a52dec->state) {
     GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (GST_ELEMENT (a52dec), LIBRARY, INIT, (NULL),
diff --git a/m4/a52.m4 b/m4/a52.m4
index 0065deeb15..e5625817b9 100644
--- a/m4/a52.m4
+++ b/m4/a52.m4
@@ -79,14 +79,18 @@ int
 main ()
 {
   a52_state_t *state;
+#if defined(A52_ACCEL_DETECT)
+  state = a52_init ();
+#else
   state = a52_init (0);
+#endif
   a52_free (state);
   return 0;
 }
         ],, HAVE_A52DEC=no, [echo $ac_n "cross compiling; assumed OK... $ac_c"])
 
     if test HAVE_A52DEC = "no"; then
-        echo "*** Your a52dec is borked somehow. Please update to 0.7.4."
+        echo "*** Your a52dec is borked somehow. Please update to 0.7.4 or newer."
     else
         AC_TRY_RUN([
 #include <inttypes.h>
@@ -102,7 +106,7 @@ main ()
             ], HAVE_A52DEC=no,, [echo $ac_n "cross compiling; assumed OK... $ac_c"])
 
         if test HAVE_A52DEC = "no"; then
-            echo "*** Your a52dec is too old. Please update to 0.7.4."
+            echo "*** Your a52dec is too old. Please update to 0.7.4 or newer."
         fi
     fi
     CFLAGS="$ac_save_CFLAGS"