diff --git a/src/gpfsFcntlHandler.cpp b/src/gpfsFcntlHandler.cpp
index 768bd36bb2567a7db903208fe236c5d7d14ffc8c..f2804a4e8835f5edad4746627bb461b4888d3946 100644
--- a/src/gpfsFcntlHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/gpfsFcntlHandler.cpp
@@ -97,13 +97,17 @@ gpfs_ace_v4_t* gpfs_acl_handler::end() {
 }
 
 void gpfs_acl_handler::get(int fd, const std::string& path) {
+	// use LWE_DATA_LWESEND as test for the existence of gpfs_getacl_fd
+#ifdef LWE_DATA_LWESEND
 	if (fd != -1) {
 		timerInst(gpfs_getacl_fd);
 		throwcall::good0(gpfs_getacl_fd(fd,
 		                                GPFS_GETACL_STRUCT,
 		                                buffer.justTheSpace),
 		                 "can't get acl for ", path);
-	} else {
+	} else
+#endif
+		{
 		timerInst(gpfs_getacl);
 		throwcall::good0(gpfs_getacl(path.c_str(),
 		                             GPFS_GETACL_STRUCT,
@@ -117,13 +121,16 @@ void gpfs_acl_handler::get(int fd, const std::string& path) {
 }
 
 void gpfs_acl_handler::set(int fd, const std::string& path) {
+#ifdef LWE_DATA_LWESEND
 	if (fd != -1) {
 		timerInst(gpfs_putacl_fd);
 		throwcall::good0(gpfs_putacl_fd(fd,
 		                                GPFS_PUTACL_STRUCT,
 		                                buffer.justTheSpace),
 		                 "can't set acl for ", path);
-	}	else {
+	}	else
+#endif
+		{
 		timerInst(gpfs_putacl);
 		throwcall::good0(gpfs_putacl(path.c_str(),
 		                             GPFS_PUTACL_STRUCT,