diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index cd1c82d7..7d393841 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -5,4 +5,11 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([
   Makefile
   src/Makefile
 ])
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(documentation,
+  AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-documentation],
+		 [Omit building and installing the documentation. (default=no)]),,
+		 [enable_documentation=yes])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([DOCUMENTATION], [test x$enable_documentation = xyes])
+
 AC_OUTPUT
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index bb1f3735..c91c2f3e 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 bin_SCRIPTS = parallel sem sql niceload
+
+if DOCUMENTATION
 man_MANS = parallel.1 sem.1 sql.1 niceload.1 parallel_tutorial.1
 doc_DATA = parallel.html sem.html sql.html niceload.html parallel_tutorial.html parallel.texi sem.texi sql.texi niceload.texi parallel_tutorial.texi parallel.pdf sem.pdf sql.pdf niceload.pdf parallel_tutorial.pdf
+endif
 
 # Build documentation file if the tool to build exists.
 # Otherwise: Use the distributed version