diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 41568228..228b4c76 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ New features:
  - Configurable QueryTablesAPI to call directly postgresql using cartodb-psql
    or to keep using a request to the SQL API
 
+Enhancements:
+ - Removes mapnik dependency as it now relies on Windshaft to check mapnik version
+
 1.15.0 -- 2014-08-13
 --------------------
 Enhancements:
@@ -15,6 +18,7 @@ Enhancements:
  - Specifies name in the redis pool
  - Slow pool configuration in example configurations
 
+
 1.14.0 -- 2014-08-07
 --------------------
 
diff --git a/lib/cartodb/server_options.js b/lib/cartodb/server_options.js
index e860b5ac..9c74d6a8 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/server_options.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/server_options.js
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ var   _          = require('underscore')
     , cartoData  = require('cartodb-redis')(global.environment.redis)
     , Cache      = require('./cache_validator')
     , QueryTablesApi   = require('./api/query_tables_api')
-    , mapnik     = require('mapnik')
     , crypto     = require('crypto')
     , LZMA       = require('lzma/lzma_worker.js').LZMA
   ;
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ module.exports = function(){
           },
           datasource: global.environment.postgres,
           cachedir: global.environment.millstone.cache_basedir,
-          mapnik_version: global.environment.mapnik_version || mapnik.versions.mapnik,
+          mapnik_version: global.environment.mapnik_version,
           mapnik_tile_format: global.environment.mapnik_tile_format || 'png',
           default_layergroup_ttl: global.environment.mapConfigTTL || 7200, 
           gc_prob: 0.01 // @deprecated since Windshaft-1.8.0
@@ -75,14 +74,6 @@ module.exports = function(){
     // See http://github.com/CartoDB/Windshaft-cartodb/issues/161
     me.redis.unwatchOnRelease = false;
 
-    // Be nice and warn if configured mapnik version
-    // is != instaled mapnik version
-    if ( mapnik.versions.mapnik != me.grainstore.mapnik_version ) {
-      console.warn("WARNING: detected mapnik version ("
-        + mapnik.versions.mapnik + ") != configured mapnik version ("
-        + me.grainstore.mapnik_version + ")");
-    }
-
 /* This whole block is about generating X-Cache-Channel { */
 
     // TODO: review lifetime of elements of this cache
diff --git a/npm-shrinkwrap.json b/npm-shrinkwrap.json
index 5ac8376c..6cccd4ff 100644
--- a/npm-shrinkwrap.json
+++ b/npm-shrinkwrap.json
@@ -10,9 +10,13 @@
       "version": "1.3.3"
     },
     "windshaft": {
-      "version": "0.24.0",
-      "from": "https://github.com/CartoDB/Windshaft/tarball/0.24.0",
+      "version": "0.24.1",
+      "from": "https://github.com/CartoDB/Windshaft/tarball/0.24.1",
       "dependencies": {
+        "mapnik": {
+            "version": "0.7.26",
+            "from": "http://github.com/Vizzuality/node-mapnik/tarball/0.7.26-cdb1"
+        },
         "grainstore": {
           "version": "0.20.0",
           "from": "git://github.com/CartoDB/grainstore.git#0.20.0",
@@ -980,10 +984,6 @@
         }
       }
     },
-    "mapnik": {
-      "version": "0.7.26-cdb1",
-      "from": "http://github.com/Vizzuality/node-mapnik/tarball/0.7.26-cdb1"
-    },
     "lzma": {
       "version": "1.2.3"
     },
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index eab16fd6..01aa4daa 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,13 +24,12 @@
     "dependencies": {
         "node-varnish": "http://github.com/Vizzuality/node-varnish/tarball/0.3.0",
         "underscore"  : "~1.3.3",
-        "windshaft": "https://github.com/CartoDB/Windshaft/tarball/0.24.0",
+        "windshaft": "https://github.com/CartoDB/Windshaft/tarball/0.24.1",
         "step": "~0.0.5",
         "request": "2.9.202",
         "cartodb-redis": "git://github.com/CartoDB/node-cartodb-redis.git#0.9.0",
         "cartodb-psql": "git://github.com/CartoDB/node-cartodb-psql.git#0.3.1",
         "redis-mpool": "https://github.com/CartoDB/node-redis-mpool/tarball/0.1.0",
-        "mapnik": "http://github.com/Vizzuality/node-mapnik/tarball/0.7.26-cdb1",
         "lzma": "~1.2.3",
         "log4js": "~0.6.10",
         "rollbar": "~0.3.1"
diff --git a/test/acceptance/multilayer.js b/test/acceptance/multilayer.js
index f685dad6..48cefbce 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/multilayer.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/multilayer.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ var _           = require('underscore');
 var redis       = require('redis');
 var querystring = require('querystring');
 var semver      = require('semver');
-var mapnik      = require('mapnik');
 var Step        = require('step');
 var strftime    = require('strftime');
 var SQLAPIEmu   = require(__dirname + '/../support/SQLAPIEmu.js');
diff --git a/test/acceptance/server.js b/test/acceptance/server.js
index e98a68d4..d069e1cc 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/server.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/server.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ var _           = require('underscore');
 var redis       = require('redis');
 var querystring = require('querystring');
 var semver      = require('semver');
-var mapnik      = require('mapnik');
 var Step        = require('step');
 var http        = require('http');
 var SQLAPIEmu   = require(__dirname + '/../support/SQLAPIEmu.js');
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@ suite('multilayer:postgres=' + cdbQueryTablesFromPostgresEnabledValue, function(
     var redis_client = redis.createClient(global.environment.redis.port);
     var sqlapi_server;
 
-    var mapnik_version = global.environment.mapnik_version || mapnik.versions.mapnik;
+    var mapnik_version = server.getVersion().mapnik;
     var test_database = _.template(global.environment.postgres_auth_user, {user_id:1}) + '_db';
     var default_style;
     if ( semver.satisfies(mapnik_version, '<2.1.0') ) {
diff --git a/test/acceptance/templates.js b/test/acceptance/templates.js
index f169a914..d51db6f9 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/templates.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/templates.js
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ var _           = require('underscore');
 var redis       = require('redis');
 var querystring = require('querystring');
 var semver      = require('semver');
-var mapnik      = require('mapnik');
 var Step        = require('step');
 var strftime    = require('strftime');
 var SQLAPIEmu   = require(__dirname + '/../support/SQLAPIEmu.js');