diff --git a/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_midi.c b/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_midi.c
index 1ee3dd24cb..171952fcae 100644
--- a/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_midi.c
+++ b/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_midi.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static int fluid_midi_event_length(unsigned char event);
 static char* fluid_file_read_full(fluid_file fp, size_t* length);
 #define READ_FULL_INITIAL_BUFLEN 1024
 
-
+#if 0 // disable file I/O with Ardour
 /***************************************************************
  *
  *                      MIDIFILE
@@ -760,6 +760,7 @@ fluid_midi_file_get_division(fluid_midi_file *midifile)
 {
     return midifile->division;
 }
+#endif
 
 /******************************************************
  *
@@ -1030,7 +1031,7 @@ fluid_midi_event_set_sysex(fluid_midi_event_t *evt, void *data, int size, int dy
  *
  *     fluid_track_t
  */
-
+#if 0 // disable fluid file player in Ardour
 /*
  * new_fluid_track
  */
@@ -1115,7 +1116,6 @@ fluid_track_get_duration(fluid_track_t *track)
     return time;
 }
 
-#if 0
 /*
  * fluid_track_count_events
  */
@@ -1133,7 +1133,6 @@ fluid_track_count_events(fluid_track_t *track, int *on, int *off)
     }
     return FLUID_OK;
 }
-#endif
 
 /*
  * fluid_track_add_event
@@ -1940,3 +1939,4 @@ fluid_midi_event_length(unsigned char event)
     }
     return 1;
 }
+#endif
diff --git a/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_rvoice_mixer.c b/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_rvoice_mixer.c
index cc633f510b..d5369aacce 100644
--- a/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_rvoice_mixer.c
+++ b/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_rvoice_mixer.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 #define SYNTH_REVERB_CHANNEL 0
 #define SYNTH_CHORUS_CHANNEL 1
 
-#define ENABLE_MIXER_THREADS 1
+#undef ENABLE_MIXER_THREADS // Ardour does the multithreading -- synth.cpu-cores defaults to 1
 
 // If less than x voices, the thread overhead is larger than the gain,
 // so don't activate the thread(s).
diff --git a/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_settings.c b/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_settings.c
index 2061c90f90..56de8c71d7 100644
--- a/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_settings.c
+++ b/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_settings.c
@@ -294,9 +294,9 @@ fluid_settings_init(fluid_settings_t* settings)
   fluid_return_if_fail (settings != NULL);
 
   fluid_synth_settings(settings);
-  //fluid_shell_settings(settings);
-  fluid_player_settings(settings);
 #if 0
+  fluid_shell_settings(settings);
+  fluid_player_settings(settings);
   fluid_file_renderer_settings(settings);
   fluid_audio_driver_settings(settings);
   fluid_midi_driver_settings(settings);
diff --git a/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_sys.c b/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_sys.c
index 600b04e88f..328f2556d6 100644
--- a/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_sys.c
+++ b/libs/fluidsynth/src/fluid_sys.c
@@ -950,6 +950,7 @@ fluid_ostream_printf (fluid_ostream_t out, char* format, ...)
 #endif
 }
 
+#if 0 // Ardour says: no, thanks
 int fluid_server_socket_join(fluid_server_socket_t *server_socket)
 {
   return fluid_thread_join (server_socket->thread);
@@ -1294,3 +1295,4 @@ int delete_fluid_server_socket(fluid_server_socket_t *server_socket)
 }
 
 #endif
+#endif