diff --git a/server/shadow/CMakeLists.txt b/server/shadow/CMakeLists.txt
index 758d6d2cd..d069ada87 100644
--- a/server/shadow/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/server/shadow/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -54,28 +54,24 @@ set(SRCS
     shadow.h
 )
 
-if(NOT FREERDP_UNIFIED_BUILD)
-  find_package(rdtk 0 REQUIRED)
-  include_directories(SYSTEM ${RDTK_INCLUDE_DIR})
-else()
-  if(NOT WITH_RDTK)
-    message(FATAL_ERROR "-DWITH_RDTK=ON is required for unified FreeRDP build with shadow server")
+if(WITH_RDTK)
+  if(NOT FREERDP_UNIFIED_BUILD)
+    find_package(rdtk 0 REQUIRED)
+    include_directories(SYSTEM ${RDTK_INCLUDE_DIR})
+  else()
+    include_directories(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/rdtk/include)
+    include_directories(${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/rdtk/include)
   endif()
-  include_directories(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/rdtk/include)
-  include_directories(${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/rdtk/include)
 endif()
 
 addtargetwithresourcefile(${MODULE_NAME} "FALSE" "${FREERDP_VERSION}" SRCS)
 
-list(
-  APPEND
-  LIBS
-  freerdp
-  freerdp-server
-  winpr
-  winpr-tools
-  rdtk
-)
+if(WITH_RDTK)
+  target_compile_definitions(${MODULE_NAME} PRIVATE WITH_RDTK)
+  list(APPEND LIBS rdtk)
+endif()
+
+list(APPEND LIBS freerdp freerdp-server winpr winpr-tools)
 
 target_include_directories(${MODULE_NAME} INTERFACE $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>)
 target_link_libraries(${MODULE_NAME} PRIVATE ${LIBS})
diff --git a/server/shadow/shadow_lobby.c b/server/shadow/shadow_lobby.c
index 568930a27..36e3a973d 100644
--- a/server/shadow/shadow_lobby.c
+++ b/server/shadow/shadow_lobby.c
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
 #include <winpr/assert.h>
 #include <winpr/cast.h>
 
+#if defined(WITH_RDTK)
 #include <rdtk/rdtk.h>
+#endif
 
 #include "shadow.h"
 
@@ -30,9 +32,6 @@
 BOOL shadow_client_init_lobby(rdpShadowServer* server)
 {
 	BOOL rc = FALSE;
-	int width = 0;
-	int height = 0;
-	rdtkSurface* surface = NULL;
 	RECTANGLE_16 invalidRect = { 0 };
 
 	WINPR_ASSERT(server);
@@ -41,16 +40,18 @@ BOOL shadow_client_init_lobby(rdpShadowServer* server)
 	if (!lobby)
 		return FALSE;
 
+#if defined(WITH_RDTK)
 	rdtkEngine* engine = rdtk_engine_new();
 	if (!engine)
 		return FALSE;
 
 	EnterCriticalSection(&lobby->lock);
-	surface =
+	rdtkSurface* surface =
 	    rdtk_surface_new(engine, lobby->data, WINPR_ASSERTING_INT_CAST(uint16_t, lobby->width),
 	                     WINPR_ASSERTING_INT_CAST(uint16_t, lobby->height), lobby->scanline);
 	if (!surface)
 		goto fail;
+#endif
 
 	invalidRect.left = 0;
 	invalidRect.top = 0;
@@ -65,12 +66,14 @@ BOOL shadow_client_init_lobby(rdpShadowServer* server)
 			goto fail;
 	}
 
-	width = invalidRect.right - invalidRect.left;
-	height = invalidRect.bottom - invalidRect.top;
+#if defined(WITH_RDTK)
+	const int width = invalidRect.right - invalidRect.left;
+	const int height = invalidRect.bottom - invalidRect.top;
 	WINPR_ASSERT(width <= UINT16_MAX);
 	WINPR_ASSERT(width >= 0);
 	WINPR_ASSERT(height <= UINT16_MAX);
 	WINPR_ASSERT(height >= 0);
+
 	if (rdtk_surface_fill(surface, invalidRect.left, invalidRect.top, (UINT16)width, (UINT16)height,
 	                      0x3BB9FF) < 0)
 		goto fail;
@@ -80,14 +83,19 @@ BOOL shadow_client_init_lobby(rdpShadowServer* server)
 		goto fail;
 	// rdtk_button_draw(surface, 16, 64, 128, 32, NULL, "button");
 	// rdtk_text_field_draw(surface, 16, 128, 128, 32, NULL, "text field");
+#endif
 
 	if (!region16_union_rect(&(lobby->invalidRegion), &(lobby->invalidRegion), &invalidRect))
 		goto fail;
 
 	rc = TRUE;
 fail:
+
+#if defined(WITH_RDTK)
 	rdtk_surface_free(surface);
-	LeaveCriticalSection(&lobby->lock);
 	rdtk_engine_free(engine);
+#endif
+
+	LeaveCriticalSection(&lobby->lock);
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/server/shadow/shadow_lobby.h b/server/shadow/shadow_lobby.h
index 37ad9cf69..917ad34dc 100644
--- a/server/shadow/shadow_lobby.h
+++ b/server/shadow/shadow_lobby.h
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@
 #include <winpr/crt.h>
 #include <winpr/synch.h>
 
-#include <rdtk/rdtk.h>
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C"
 {