diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 4df671a..7d042c7 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS=-I. -I$(srcdir)/include "-D_U_=__attribute__((unused))" \
 	"-D_R_(A,B)=__attribute__((format(printf,A,B)))"
 AM_CFLAGS=$(WARN_CFLAGS)
 LDADD = lib/libiscsi.la
-XSLTPROC = /usr/bin/xsltproc
 
 # Manpages
 man1_MANS = doc/iscsi-inq.1 doc/iscsi-ls.1 doc/iscsi-swp.1
@@ -398,6 +397,12 @@ bin/ld_iscsi.so: bin/ld_iscsi.o
 	$(CC) -shared -o bin/ld_iscsi.so bin/ld_iscsi.o -ldl
 endif
 
-.xml.1:
-	-test -z "$(XSLTPROC)" || $(XSLTPROC) -o $@ http://docbook.sourceforge.net/release/xsl/current/manpages/docbook.xsl $<
+XSLTPROC = /usr/bin/xsltproc
+
+.xml.1:
+if BUILD_MANPAGES
+	$(XSLTPROC) -o $@ http://docbook.sourceforge.net/release/xsl/current/manpages/docbook.xsl $<
+else
+	echo "Building without manpages"
+endif
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 71b835d..ecabb58 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@ if test "$ac_cv_prog_gcc" = yes; then
 fi
 AC_SUBST(WARN_CFLAGS)
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([manpages],
+              [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-manpages],
+                              [Enable building the manpages])],
+	      [ENABLE_MANPAGES=$enableval],
+	      [ENABLE_MANPAGES="no"])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_MANPAGES,
+               [expr "$ENABLE_MANPAGES" : yes > /dev/null 2>&1])
+
 AC_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
 
 AC_CHECK_LIB([gcrypt], [gcry_control])