--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -35,10 +35,6 @@ include(DefineInstallationPaths)
 include(DefineOptions.cmake)
 include(CPackConfig.cmake)
 
-# disallow in-source build
-include(MacroEnsureOutOfSourceBuild)
-macro_ensure_out_of_source_build("${PROJECT_NAME} requires an out of source build. Please create a separate build directory and run 'cmake /path/to/${PROJECT_NAME} [options]' there.")
-
 # search for libraries
 if (WITH_ZLIB)
     find_package(ZLIB REQUIRED)
--- a/ConfigureChecks.cmake
+++ b/ConfigureChecks.cmake
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ include(CheckFunctionExists)
 include(CheckLibraryExists)
 include(CheckTypeSize)
 include(CheckCXXSourceCompiles)
-include(TestBigEndian)
 
 set(PACKAGE ${APPLICATION_NAME})
 set(VERSION ${APPLICATION_VERSION})
@@ -270,6 +269,8 @@ if (WITH_GSSAPI AND NOT GSSAPI_FOUND)
 endif (WITH_GSSAPI AND NOT GSSAPI_FOUND)
 
 # ENDIAN
-if (NOT WIN32)
-    test_big_endian(WORDS_BIGENDIAN)
-endif (NOT WIN32)
+if (WITH_BIG_ENDIAN)
+  set(WORDS_BIGENDIAN 1)
+else (WITH_BIG_ENDIAN)
+  set(WORDS_BIGENDIAN 0)
+endif (WITH_BIG_ENDIAN)