diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index e785ba4..34e6bed 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,9 +23,20 @@ project(cxxopts)
 
 set(VERSION "0.0.1")
 
-find_package(PkgConfig)
+set(CXXOPTS_LINKER_LIBRARIES "")
 
-pkg_check_modules(ICU REQUIRED icu-uc)
+set(CXXOPTS_USE_UNICODE_HELP FALSE CACHE BOOL "Use ICU Unicode library")
+
+if(CXXOPTS_USE_UNICODE_HELP)
+
+  find_package(PkgConfig)
+
+  pkg_check_modules(ICU REQUIRED icu-uc)
+
+  set(CXXOPTS_LINKER_LIBRARIES "${ICU_LIBRARIES}")
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -DCXXOPTS_USE_UNICODE")
+
+endif()
 
 add_subdirectory(src)
 
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index c2b2ff9..625abe9 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@
 add_executable(example example.cpp)
 
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++11 -Wall")
-target_link_libraries(example ${ICU_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(example ${CXXOPTS_LINKER_LIBRARIES})
 
 install(FILES cxxopts.hpp DESTINATION include)
diff --git a/src/example.cpp b/src/example.cpp
index 526045c..c6500c6 100644
--- a/src/example.cpp
+++ b/src/example.cpp
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 
 #include <iostream>
 
-#define CXXOPTS_USE_UNICODE
-
 #include "cxxopts.hpp"
 
 int main(int argc, char* argv[])
@@ -48,8 +46,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
       ("help", "Print help")
       ("int", "An integer", cxxopts::value<int>())
       ("option_that_is_too_long_for_the_help", "A very long option")
-      ("unicode", u8"A help option with non-ascii: à. Here the length of the"
+    #ifdef CXXOPTS_USE_UNICODE
+      ("unicode", u8"A help option with non-ascii: à. Here the size of the"
         " string should be correct")
+    #endif
     ;
 
     options.add_options("Group")