diff --git a/Formula/emboss.rb b/Formula/emboss.rb
index badfeebe40..e3ee18ab84 100644
--- a/Formula/emboss.rb
+++ b/Formula/emboss.rb
@@ -5,11 +5,24 @@ class Emboss < Formula
   url 'ftp://emboss.open-bio.org/pub/EMBOSS/EMBOSS-6.5.7.tar.gz'
   sha1 '907231eafe07917ae0bf9c5da2e7cdc3e9bae03a'
 
+  option 'without-x', 'Build without X11 support'
+
   depends_on 'pkg-config' => :build
+  depends_on 'libharu'    => :optional
+  depends_on 'gd'         => :optional
+  depends_on :libpng      => :recommended
+  depends_on :x11 unless build.include? 'without-x'
 
   def install
-    system "./configure", "--disable-debug", "--disable-dependency-tracking",
-                          "--prefix=#{prefix}"
-    system "make install"
+    args = %W[
+      --disable-debug
+      --disable-dependency-tracking
+      --prefix=#{prefix}
+      --enable-64
+      --with-thread
+    ]
+    args << '--without-x' if build.include? 'without-x'
+    system './configure', *args
+    system 'make install'
   end
 end