diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 7cb5d5303..b2e7e2bec 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -24312,7 +24312,7 @@ CheckHIDAPI()
 if test "${enable_hidapi+set}" = set; then :
   enableval=$enable_hidapi;
 else
-  enable_hidapi=no
+  enable_hidapi=yes
 fi
 
     if test x$enable_joystick = xyes -a x$enable_hidapi = xyes; then
@@ -24778,7 +24778,7 @@ $as_echo "#define SDL_AUDIO_DRIVER_ANDROID 1" >>confdefs.h
         # Set up files for the joystick library
         if test x$enable_joystick = xyes; then
           case $ARCH in
-            linux)
+            linux|freebsd)
 
 $as_echo "#define SDL_JOYSTICK_LINUX 1" >>confdefs.h
 
@@ -24799,7 +24799,7 @@ $as_echo "#define SDL_JOYSTICK_ANDROID 1" >>confdefs.h
         # Set up files for the haptic library
         if test x$enable_haptic = xyes; then
           case $ARCH in
-            linux)
+            linux|freebsd)
                 if test x$use_input_events = xyes; then
 
 $as_echo "#define SDL_HAPTIC_LINUX 1" >>confdefs.h
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 0cd62a980..62b1edbf4 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3327,8 +3327,8 @@ CheckHIDAPI()
     esac
 
     AC_ARG_ENABLE(hidapi,
-AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-hidapi], [use HIDAPI for low level joystick drivers [[default=no]]]),
-                  , enable_hidapi=no)
+AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-hidapi], [use HIDAPI for low level joystick drivers [[default=yes]]]),
+                  , enable_hidapi=yes)
     if test x$enable_joystick = xyes -a x$enable_hidapi = xyes; then
         if test x$skiplibusb = xyes; then
             hidapi_support=yes