diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 6de22b3587..57177fa173 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -467,6 +467,17 @@ if conf.CheckHeader ('boost/shared_ptr.hpp', language='CXX') == 0:
     
 libraries['boost'] = conf.Finish ()
 
+conf = env.Configure ()
+
+# jack_port_ensure_monitor available
+
+if conf.CheckFunc('jack_port_ensure_monitor'):
+    env.Append(CCFLAGS='-DWITH_JACK_PORT_ENSURE_MONITOR')
+else:
+    print '\nWARNING: You need at least svn revision 985 of jack for hardware monitoring to work correctly.\n'
+
+env = conf.Finish()
+
 #
 # Check for liblo
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/port.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/port.h
index 1093450840..391289be3f 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/port.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/port.h
@@ -136,7 +136,13 @@ class Port : public sigc::trackable {
 	}
 	
 	void ensure_monitor_input (bool yn) {
+
+#ifdef WITH_JACK_PORT_ENSURE_MONITOR
 		jack_port_ensure_monitor (_port, yn);
+#else
+		jack_port_request_monitor(_port, yn);
+#endif
+
 	}
 
 	/*XXX completely bloody useless imho*/