diff --git a/docs/NEWS b/docs/NEWS
index 6aba037a..5bd423fc 100644
--- a/docs/NEWS
+++ b/docs/NEWS
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 Version 2.1 ()
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+   * Added <IfModule mod_rewrite.c> checks to .htaccess for URL rewriting
+   
    * Add support for cronjob plugin to spartacus, to notify
      blog owner about possible updates (via e-mail)
      
diff --git a/include/tpl/htaccess_cgi_rewrite.tpl b/include/tpl/htaccess_cgi_rewrite.tpl
index 243efe74..4978c2fb 100644
--- a/include/tpl/htaccess_cgi_rewrite.tpl
+++ b/include/tpl/htaccess_cgi_rewrite.tpl
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ ErrorDocument 404 {PREFIX}{indexFile}
 DirectoryIndex {PREFIX}{indexFile}
 Options -MultiViews
 
+<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
 RewriteEngine On
 RewriteBase {PREFIX}
 RewriteRule ^serendipity_admin.php serendipity_admin.php [NC,L,QSA]
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ RewriteRule ^index\.(html?|php.+) {indexFile}?url=index.html [L,QSA]
 RewriteRule ^htmlarea/(.*) htmlarea/$1 [L,QSA]
 #RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !-U
 RewriteRule (.*\.html?) {indexFile}?url=/$1 [L,QSA]
+</IfModule>
 
 <Files *.tpl.php>
     deny from all
diff --git a/include/tpl/htaccess_cgi_rewrite2.tpl b/include/tpl/htaccess_cgi_rewrite2.tpl
index 68251361..8ced8d3a 100644
--- a/include/tpl/htaccess_cgi_rewrite2.tpl
+++ b/include/tpl/htaccess_cgi_rewrite2.tpl
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 ErrorDocument 404 {PREFIX}{indexFile}
 DirectoryIndex {PREFIX}{indexFile}
 
+<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
 RewriteEngine On
 RewriteBase {PREFIX}
 RewriteRule ^serendipity_admin.php serendipity_admin.php [NC,L,QSA]
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ RewriteRule ^index\.(html?|php.+) {indexFile}?url=index.html [L,QSA]
 RewriteRule ^htmlarea/(.*) htmlarea/$1 [L,QSA]
 #RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !-U
 RewriteRule (.*\.html?) {indexFile}?url=/$1 [L,QSA]
+</IfModule>
 
 <Files *.tpl.php>
     deny from all
diff --git a/include/tpl/htaccess_rewrite.tpl b/include/tpl/htaccess_rewrite.tpl
index 25dd0439..ce9b7426 100644
--- a/include/tpl/htaccess_rewrite.tpl
+++ b/include/tpl/htaccess_rewrite.tpl
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ php_value session.use_trans_sid 0
 php_value register_globals off
 Options -MultiViews
 
+<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
 RewriteEngine On
 RewriteBase {PREFIX}
 RewriteRule ^serendipity_admin.php serendipity_admin.php [NC,L,QSA]
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ RewriteRule ^index\.(html?|php.+) {indexFile}?url=index.html [L,QSA]
 RewriteRule ^htmlarea/(.*) htmlarea/$1 [L,QSA]
 #RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !-U
 RewriteRule (.*\.html?) {indexFile}?url=/$1 [L,QSA]
+</IfModule>
 
 <Files *.tpl.php>
     deny from all
diff --git a/include/tpl/htaccess_rewrite2.tpl b/include/tpl/htaccess_rewrite2.tpl
index 1e84cf70..8f0b7603 100644
--- a/include/tpl/htaccess_rewrite2.tpl
+++ b/include/tpl/htaccess_rewrite2.tpl
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ DirectoryIndex {PREFIX}{indexFile}
 php_value session.use_trans_sid 0
 php_value register_globals off
 
+<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
 RewriteEngine On
 RewriteBase {PREFIX}
 RewriteRule ^serendipity_admin.php serendipity_admin.php [NC,L,QSA]
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ RewriteRule ^index\.(html?|php.+) {indexFile}?url=index.html [L,QSA]
 RewriteRule ^htmlarea/(.*) htmlarea/$1 [L,QSA]
 #RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !-U
 RewriteRule (.*\.html?) {indexFile}?url=/$1 [L,QSA]
+</IfModule>
 
 <Files *.tpl.php>
     deny from all