diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ff68afb..6eee2df 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -105,8 +105,10 @@ find_program (POD2MAN pod2man)
 
 # Check for include files and stdlib properties.
 include (CheckIncludeFileCXX)
-check_include_file_cxx (attr/xattr.h HAVE_ATTR_XATTR_H)
-check_include_file_cxx (sys/xattr.h HAVE_SYS_XATTR_H)
+if (NOT CYGWIN)
+  check_include_file_cxx (attr/xattr.h HAVE_ATTR_XATTR_H)
+  check_include_file_cxx (sys/xattr.h HAVE_SYS_XATTR_H)
+endif()
 
 include(CheckStructHasMember)
 check_struct_has_member("struct dirent" d_type dirent.h HAVE_DIRENT_D_TYPE LANGUAGE CXX)