diff --git a/c_src/Makefile b/c_src/Makefile
index 9f8cbdb..e9689aa 100644
--- a/c_src/Makefile
+++ b/c_src/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ ERL_CXXFLAGS ?= $(shell erl -noshell -noinput -eval "io:format(\"-I~ts/erts-~ts/
 ERL_LDFLAGS  ?= $(shell erl -noshell -noinput -eval "io:format(\"-L~ts\", [code:lib_dir(erl_interface, lib)]), halt(0).")
 
 CXXFLAGS  += -g -std=c++11 -finline-functions -Wall -DHAVE_PTRACE -MMD
+USE_POLL  ?= 1
 
 UNAME_SYS := $(shell uname -s | tr 'A-Z' 'a-z')
 
@@ -26,8 +27,8 @@ endif
 
 
 # By default use poll(2). If USE_POLL=0 is defined, use select(2):
-ifneq ($(filter $(USE_POLL),1 true),)
-  CXXFLAGS += -DUSE_POLL=1
+ifneq ($(filter $(USE_POLL),0 1 true),)
+  CXXFLAGS += -DUSE_POLL=$(USE_POLL)
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(findstring $(TARGET),linux),)
diff --git a/c_src/exec.cpp b/c_src/exec.cpp
index af87c1d..7518f06 100644
--- a/c_src/exec.cpp
+++ b/c_src/exec.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 */
 
 #include "exec.hpp"
-#if defined(USE_POLL) && USE_POLL > 0
+#if defined(USE_POLL) && USE_POLL
 # include <sys/poll.h>
 #endif
 
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ void initialize(int userid, bool use_alt_fds, bool is_root, bool requested_root)
     DEBUG(debug, "Initializing: uid=%d, userid=%d%s%s%s",
             getuid(), userid, is_root ? " is-root":"",
             requested_root ? " requested-root":"",
-            #if defined(USE_POLL) && USE_POLL > 0
+            #if defined(USE_POLL) && USE_POLL
             ", use-poll=1"
             #else
             ""
diff --git a/c_src/exec_impl.cpp b/c_src/exec_impl.cpp
index 1fb2229..2f1b199 100644
--- a/c_src/exec_impl.cpp
+++ b/c_src/exec_impl.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ int ptsname_r(int fd, char* buf, size_t buflen) {
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // CmdInfo
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#if !defined(USE_POLL) || (USE_POLL == 0)
+#if !defined(USE_POLL) || !USE_POLL
 void CmdInfo::include_stream_fd(FdHandler &fdhandler)
 {
     for (int i=STDIN_FILENO; i <= STDERR_FILENO; i++) {
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ void CmdInfo::process_stream_data(FdHandler &fdhandler)
 }
 #endif /* !defined(USE_POLL) */
 
-#if defined(USE_POLL) && USE_POLL > 0
+#if defined(USE_POLL) && USE_POLL
 void CmdInfo::include_stream_fd(FdHandler &fdhandler)
 {
     for (int i=STDIN_FILENO; i <= STDERR_FILENO; i++) {