diff --git a/premake5.lua b/premake5.lua
index b0ae36d05..34b1caa21 100644
--- a/premake5.lua
+++ b/premake5.lua
@@ -292,6 +292,27 @@ if os.istarget("linux") then
   end
 end
 
+-- USE_SYSTEM_DISCORD_RPC: use system discord-rpc when set (Linux only). Link lib; fail if set and not found.
+use_system_discord_rpc = false
+discord_rpc_pkg_config_available = false
+discord_rpc_system_include = nil
+discord_rpc_system_links = nil
+if os.istarget("linux") then
+  local env = os.getenv("USE_SYSTEM_DISCORD_RPC") or ""
+  if env ~= "" and env ~= "0" then
+    use_system_discord_rpc = true
+    discord_rpc_pkg_config_available = os.execute("pkg-config --exists discord-rpc") or os.execute("pkg-config --exists discord_rpc")
+    if not discord_rpc_pkg_config_available then
+      if os.isfile("/usr/include/discord_rpc.h") and (os.isfile("/usr/lib/libdiscord-rpc.so") or os.isfile("/usr/lib64/libdiscord-rpc.so")) then
+        discord_rpc_system_include = "/usr/include"
+        discord_rpc_system_links = "discord-rpc"
+      else
+        error("USE_SYSTEM_DISCORD_RPC is set but discord-rpc was not found (no pkg-config and no /usr/include/discord_rpc.h + libdiscord-rpc.so). Install dev-libs/discord-rpc or unset USE_SYSTEM_DISCORD_RPC.")
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+
 -- Define an ARCH variable
 -- Only use this to enable architecture-specific functionality.
 if os.istarget("linux") then
@@ -447,6 +468,9 @@ end
 if use_system_vulkan_memory_allocator then
   defines({ "XENIA_USE_SYSTEM_VULKAN_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR" })
 end
+if use_system_discord_rpc then
+  defines({ "XENIA_USE_SYSTEM_DISCORD_RPC" })
+end
 
 cdialect("C17")
 cppdialect("C++20")
@@ -717,7 +741,9 @@ workspace("xenia")
     include("third_party/capstone.lua")
   end
   include("third_party/dxbc.lua")
-  include("third_party/discord-rpc.lua")
+  if not use_system_discord_rpc then
+    include("third_party/discord-rpc.lua")
+  end
   if not use_system_cxxopts then
     include("third_party/cxxopts.lua")
   end
diff --git a/src/xenia/app/discord/discord_presence.cc b/src/xenia/app/discord/discord_presence.cc
index 4140a9076..63e0dba3d 100644
--- a/src/xenia/app/discord/discord_presence.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/app/discord/discord_presence.cc
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "discord_presence.h"
 #include <ctime>
-#include "third_party/discord-rpc/include/discord_rpc.h"
+#include "xenia/base/discord_rpc_include.h"
 #include "xenia/base/string.h"
 
 // TODO: This library has been deprecated in favor of Discord's GameSDK.
diff --git a/src/xenia/app/discord/premake5.lua b/src/xenia/app/discord/premake5.lua
index 13e82b5f0..84e4b2b8a 100644
--- a/src/xenia/app/discord/premake5.lua
+++ b/src/xenia/app/discord/premake5.lua
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ project("xenia-app-discord")
   uuid("d14c0885-22d2-40de-ab28-7b234ef2b949")
   kind("StaticLib")
   language("C++")
-  links({
-    "discord-rpc"
-  })
-  includedirs({
-    project_root.."/third_party/discord-rpc/src"
-  })
+  if use_system_discord_rpc then
+    pkg_config.all("discord-rpc")
+  else
+    links({ "discord-rpc" })
+    includedirs({
+      project_root.."/third_party/discord-rpc/src"
+    })
+  end
   files({
     "discord_presence.cc",
     "discord_presence.h"
diff --git a/src/xenia/app/premake5.lua b/src/xenia/app/premake5.lua
index d159f72fa..9fa6cab5c 100644
--- a/src/xenia/app/premake5.lua
+++ b/src/xenia/app/premake5.lua
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ project("xenia-app")
   if use_system_zlib_ng then
     pkg_config.all("zlib-ng")
   end
+  if use_system_discord_rpc then
+    pkg_config.all("discord-rpc")
+  end
   links({
     "xenia-apu",
     "xenia-apu-nop",
@@ -55,7 +58,6 @@ project("xenia-app")
     "capstone",
     "fmt",
     "dxbc",
-    "discord-rpc",
     "imgui",
     "libavcodec",
     "libavformat",
@@ -71,7 +73,6 @@ project("xenia-app")
     "capstone",
     "fmt",
     "dxbc",
-    "discord-rpc",
     "imgui",
     "libavcodec",
     "libavformat",
@@ -88,7 +89,6 @@ project("xenia-app")
     "capstone",
     "fmt",
     "dxbc",
-    "discord-rpc",
     "glslang-spirv",
     "imgui",
     "libavcodec",
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ project("xenia-app")
     "capstone",
     "fmt",
     "dxbc",
-    "discord-rpc",
     "glslang-spirv",
     "imgui",
     "libavcodec",
@@ -119,6 +118,9 @@ project("xenia-app")
     "zlib-ng",
     "zstd",
   }))
+  if not use_system_discord_rpc then
+    links({ "discord-rpc" })
+  end
   defines({
     "XBYAK_NO_OP_NAMES",
     "XBYAK_ENABLE_OMITTED_OPERAND",
diff --git a/src/xenia/base/discord_rpc_include.h b/src/xenia/base/discord_rpc_include.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4993fdf99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/xenia/base/discord_rpc_include.h
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// Wrapper so Xenia can use either bundled discord-rpc or system (XENIA_USE_SYSTEM_DISCORD_RPC).
+#ifndef XENIA_BASE_DISCORD_RPC_INCLUDE_H_
+#define XENIA_BASE_DISCORD_RPC_INCLUDE_H_
+
+#ifdef XENIA_USE_SYSTEM_DISCORD_RPC
+#include <discord_rpc.h>
+#else
+#include "third_party/discord-rpc/include/discord_rpc.h"
+#endif
+
+#endif  // XENIA_BASE_DISCORD_RPC_INCLUDE_H_
diff --git a/tools/build/scripts/pkg_config.lua b/tools/build/scripts/pkg_config.lua
index 1f679d498..6bba02242 100644
--- a/tools/build/scripts/pkg_config.lua
+++ b/tools/build/scripts/pkg_config.lua
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ function pkg_config.all(lib)
     defines({ "WITH_GZFILEOP" })
     return
   end
+  -- When discord-rpc has no pkg-config (e.g. Gentoo), use fallback include/links.
+  if lib == "discord-rpc" and use_system_discord_rpc and discord_rpc_system_include and discord_rpc_system_links then
+    includedirs(discord_rpc_system_include)
+    links(discord_rpc_system_links)
+    return
+  end
   pkg_config.cflags(lib)
   pkg_config.lflags(lib)
 end
-- 
2.52.0


diff --git a/premake5.lua b/premake5.lua
index dbc46dfbe..a98b3d13f 100644
--- a/premake5.lua
+++ b/premake5.lua
@@ -313,6 +313,9 @@ if os.istarget("linux") then
   end
 end
 
+-- XENIA_DISCORD: when set to "0", do not build or link Discord support (no third_party, no app/discord). Default "1".
+enable_discord = (os.getenv("XENIA_DISCORD") or "1") == "1"
+
 -- Define an ARCH variable
 -- Only use this to enable architecture-specific functionality.
 if os.istarget("linux") then
@@ -502,8 +505,11 @@ end
 if use_system_vulkan_memory_allocator then
   defines({ "XENIA_USE_SYSTEM_VULKAN_MEMORY_ALLOCATOR" })
 end
-if use_system_discord_rpc then
+if enable_discord and use_system_discord_rpc then
   defines({ "XENIA_USE_SYSTEM_DISCORD_RPC" })
 end
+if enable_discord then
+  defines({ "XENIA_ENABLE_DISCORD" })
+end
 
 cdialect("C17")
@@ -765,7 +771,7 @@ workspace("xenia")
     include("third_party/capstone.lua")
   end
   include("third_party/dxbc.lua")
-  if not use_system_discord_rpc then
+  if enable_discord and not use_system_discord_rpc then
     include("third_party/discord-rpc.lua")
   end
   if not use_system_cxxopts then
@@ -830,7 +836,9 @@ workspace("xenia")
 
   include("src/xenia")
   include("src/xenia/app")
-  include("src/xenia/app/discord")
+  if enable_discord then
+    include("src/xenia/app/discord")
+  end
   include("src/xenia/apu")
   include("src/xenia/apu/nop")
   include("src/xenia/base")
diff --git a/src/xenia/app/premake5.lua b/src/xenia/app/premake5.lua
index 687583c37..57a7c0efe 100644
--- a/src/xenia/app/premake5.lua
+++ b/src/xenia/app/premake5.lua
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ project("xenia-app")
   if use_system_zlib_ng then
     pkg_config.all("zlib-ng")
   end
-  if use_system_discord_rpc then
+  if enable_discord and use_system_discord_rpc then
     pkg_config.all("discord-rpc")
   end
   if use_system_imgui then
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ project("xenia-app")
     "zlib-ng",
     "zstd",
   }))
-  if not use_system_discord_rpc then
+  if enable_discord and not use_system_discord_rpc then
     links({ "discord-rpc" })
   end
   if not use_system_imgui then
@@ -177,13 +177,18 @@ project("xenia-app")
     vectorextensions("SSE2")  -- Disable AVX for main_init_win.cc so our AVX check doesn't use AVX instructions.
 
   filter("platforms:not Android-*")
-    links({
+    links(enable_discord and {
       "xenia-app-discord",
       "xenia-apu-sdl",
       -- TODO(Triang3l): CPU debugger on Android.
       "xenia-debug-ui",
       "xenia-helper-sdl",
       "xenia-hid-sdl",
+    } or {
+      "xenia-apu-sdl",
+      "xenia-debug-ui",
+      "xenia-helper-sdl",
+      "xenia-hid-sdl",
     })
 
   filter("platforms:Linux")
diff --git a/src/xenia/app/xenia_main.cc b/src/xenia/app/xenia_main.cc
index b70ba2d7c..1cc090def 100644
--- a/src/xenia/app/xenia_main.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/app/xenia_main.cc
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <thread>
 
+#ifdef XENIA_ENABLE_DISCORD
 #include "xenia/app/discord/discord_presence.h"
+#endif
 #include "xenia/app/emulator_window.h"
 #include "xenia/base/assert.h"
 #include "xenia/base/cvar.h"
@@ -108,7 +110,9 @@ DEFINE_transient_bool(portable, true,
 
 DECLARE_bool(debug);
 
+#ifdef XENIA_ENABLE_DISCORD
 DEFINE_bool(discord, true, "Enable Discord rich presence", "General");
+#endif
 
 DECLARE_bool(widescreen);
 
@@ -501,10 +505,12 @@ bool EmulatorApp::OnInitialize() {
   cache_root = std::filesystem::absolute(cache_root);
   XELOGI("Host cache root: {}", cache_root);
 
+#ifdef XENIA_ENABLE_DISCORD
   if (cvars::discord) {
     discord::DiscordPresence::Initialize();
     discord::DiscordPresence::NotPlaying();
   }
+#endif
 
   // Create the emulator but don't initialize so we can setup the window.
   emulator_ =
@@ -533,9 +539,11 @@ bool EmulatorApp::OnInitialize() {
 void EmulatorApp::OnDestroy() {
   ShutdownEmulatorThreadFromUIThread();
 
+#ifdef XENIA_ENABLE_DISCORD
   if (cvars::discord) {
     discord::DiscordPresence::Shutdown();
   }
+#endif
 
   Profiler::Dump();
   // The profiler needs to shut down before the graphics context.
@@ -663,10 +671,12 @@ void EmulatorApp::EmulatorThread() {
   }
 
   emulator_->on_launch.AddListener([&](auto title_id, const auto& game_title) {
+#ifdef XENIA_ENABLE_DISCORD
     if (cvars::discord) {
       discord::DiscordPresence::PlayingTitle(
           game_title.empty() ? "Unknown Title" : std::string(game_title));
     }
+#endif
     app_context().CallInUIThread([this]() { emulator_window_->UpdateTitle(); });
     emulator_thread_event_->Set();
   });
@@ -683,9 +693,11 @@ void EmulatorApp::EmulatorThread() {
   });
 
   emulator_->on_terminate.AddListener([]() {
+#ifdef XENIA_ENABLE_DISCORD
     if (cvars::discord) {
       discord::DiscordPresence::NotPlaying();
     }
+#endif
   });
 
   // Enable emulator input now that the emulator is properly loaded.