diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@
     views/dolphinviewactionhandler.cpp
     views/draganddrophelper.cpp
     views/renamedialog.cpp
+    views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.cpp
+    views/tooltips/tooltipmanager.cpp
     views/versioncontrol/updateitemstatesthread.cpp
     views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.cpp
     views/viewmodecontroller.cpp
@@ -113,8 +115,6 @@
 if(HAVE_BALOO)
     set(dolphinprivate_LIB_SRCS
         ${dolphinprivate_LIB_SRCS}
-        views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.cpp
-        views/tooltips/tooltipmanager.cpp
         kitemviews/private/kbaloorolesprovider.cpp
     )
 endif()
diff --git a/src/settings/general/behaviorsettingspage.cpp b/src/settings/general/behaviorsettingspage.cpp
--- a/src/settings/general/behaviorsettingspage.cpp
+++ b/src/settings/general/behaviorsettingspage.cpp
@@ -78,11 +78,9 @@
     topLayout->addItem(new QSpacerItem(0, Dolphin::VERTICAL_SPACER_HEIGHT, QSizePolicy::Fixed, QSizePolicy::Fixed));
 
 
-#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     // 'Show tooltips'
     m_showToolTips = new QCheckBox(i18nc("@option:check", "Show tooltips"));
     topLayout->addRow(i18nc("@title:group", "Miscellaneous: "), m_showToolTips);
-#endif
 
     // 'Show selection marker'
     m_showSelectionToggle = new QCheckBox(i18nc("@option:check", "Show selection marker"));
@@ -104,9 +102,7 @@
 
     connect(m_localViewProps, &QRadioButton::toggled, this, &BehaviorSettingsPage::changed);
     connect(m_globalViewProps, &QRadioButton::toggled, this, &BehaviorSettingsPage::changed);
-#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     connect(m_showToolTips, &QCheckBox::toggled, this, &BehaviorSettingsPage::changed);
-#endif
     connect(m_showSelectionToggle, &QCheckBox::toggled, this, &BehaviorSettingsPage::changed);
     connect(m_naturalSorting, &QRadioButton::toggled, this, &BehaviorSettingsPage::changed);
     connect(m_caseInsensitiveSorting, &QRadioButton::toggled, this, &BehaviorSettingsPage::changed);
@@ -126,9 +122,7 @@
 
     const bool useGlobalViewProps = m_globalViewProps->isChecked();
     settings->setGlobalViewProps(useGlobalViewProps);
-#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     settings->setShowToolTips(m_showToolTips->isChecked());
-#endif
     settings->setShowSelectionToggle(m_showSelectionToggle->isChecked());
     setSortingChoiceValue(settings);
     settings->setRenameInline(m_renameInline->isChecked());
@@ -159,9 +153,7 @@
     m_localViewProps->setChecked(!useGlobalViewProps);
     m_globalViewProps->setChecked(useGlobalViewProps);
 
-#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     m_showToolTips->setChecked(GeneralSettings::showToolTips());
-#endif
     m_showSelectionToggle->setChecked(GeneralSettings::showSelectionToggle());
     m_renameInline->setChecked(GeneralSettings::renameInline());
     m_useTabForSplitViewSwitch->setChecked(GeneralSettings::useTabForSwitchingSplitView());
diff --git a/src/views/dolphinview.cpp b/src/views/dolphinview.cpp
--- a/src/views/dolphinview.cpp
+++ b/src/views/dolphinview.cpp
@@ -176,10 +176,8 @@
     connect(selectionManager, &KItemListSelectionManager::selectionChanged,
             this, &DolphinView::slotSelectionChanged);
 
-#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     m_toolTipManager = new ToolTipManager(this);
     connect(m_toolTipManager, &ToolTipManager::urlActivated, this, &DolphinView::urlActivated);
-#endif
 
     m_versionControlObserver = new VersionControlObserver(this);
     m_versionControlObserver->setView(this);
@@ -1039,9 +1037,7 @@
         const QPoint pos = m_container->mapToGlobal(itemRect.topLeft().toPoint());
         itemRect.moveTo(pos);
 
-#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
         m_toolTipManager->showToolTip(item, itemRect, nativeParentWidget()->windowHandle());
-#endif
     }
 
     emit requestItemInfo(item);
@@ -1418,11 +1414,9 @@
 
 void DolphinView::hideToolTip()
 {
-#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     if (GeneralSettings::showToolTips()) {
         m_toolTipManager->hideToolTip();
     }
-#endif
 }
 
 void DolphinView::calculateItemCount(int& fileCount,
diff --git a/src/views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.h b/src/views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.h
--- a/src/views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.h
+++ b/src/views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.h
@@ -29,9 +29,11 @@
 class KFileItemList;
 class QLabel;
 
+#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
 namespace Baloo {
     class FileMetaDataWidget;
 }
+#endif
 
 /**
  * @brief Widget that shows the meta information and a preview of one
@@ -75,7 +77,9 @@
 private:
     QLabel* m_preview;
     QLabel* m_name;
+#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     Baloo::FileMetaDataWidget* m_fileMetaDataWidget;
+#endif
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.cpp b/src/views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.cpp
--- a/src/views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.cpp
+++ b/src/views/tooltips/dolphinfilemetadatawidget.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,11 @@
 #include <KColorScheme>
 #include <KSeparator>
 #include <KStringHandler>
+#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
 #include <Baloo/FileMetaDataWidget>
+#else
+#include <KFileItem>
+#endif
 
 #include <QLabel>
 #include <QStyleOptionFrame>
@@ -36,12 +40,18 @@
 DolphinFileMetaDataWidget::DolphinFileMetaDataWidget(QWidget* parent) :
     QWidget(parent),
     m_preview(nullptr),
-    m_name(nullptr),
-    m_fileMetaDataWidget(nullptr)
+    m_name(nullptr)
+#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
+    , m_fileMetaDataWidget(nullptr)
+#endif
 {
     // Create widget for file preview
     m_preview = new QLabel(this);
+#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     m_preview->setAlignment(Qt::AlignTop);
+#else
+    m_preview->setAlignment(Qt::AlignHCenter | Qt::AlignTop);
+#endif
 
     // Create widget for file name
     m_name = new QLabel(this);
@@ -56,6 +66,7 @@
     QFontMetrics fontMetrics(font);
     m_name->setMaximumWidth(fontMetrics.averageCharWidth() * 40);
 
+#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     // Create widget for the meta data
     m_fileMetaDataWidget = new Baloo::FileMetaDataWidget(this);
     connect(m_fileMetaDataWidget, &Baloo::FileMetaDataWidget::metaDataRequestFinished,
@@ -81,6 +92,13 @@
     layout->addWidget(m_preview);
     layout->addSpacing(layout->margin());
     layout->addLayout(textLayout);
+#else
+    QVBoxLayout* textLayout = new QVBoxLayout(this);
+    textLayout->addWidget(m_name);
+    textLayout->addWidget(new KSeparator());
+    textLayout->addWidget(m_preview);
+    textLayout->setAlignment(m_name, Qt::AlignCenter);
+#endif
 }
 
 DolphinFileMetaDataWidget::~DolphinFileMetaDataWidget()
@@ -138,11 +156,21 @@
 
 void DolphinFileMetaDataWidget::setItems(const KFileItemList& items)
 {
+#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     m_fileMetaDataWidget->setItems(items);
+#else
+    // This function is used to indicate start of metadata request.
+    // Just immediately report that it's finished
+    emit metaDataRequestFinished(KFileItemList());
+#endif
 }
 
 KFileItemList DolphinFileMetaDataWidget::items() const
 {
+#ifdef HAVE_BALOO
     return m_fileMetaDataWidget->items();
+#else
+    return KFileItemList();
+#endif
 }