diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 2f05ceb..4e2ff45 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -369,11 +369,14 @@ endif
 
 manual_pages = doc/btmon.1
 
+if MANPAGES
 dist_man_MANS += $(manual_pages)
+endif
 
 EXTRA_DIST += $(manual_pages:.1=.txt)
 
 DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS = --disable-datafiles --enable-library \
+					--enable-manpages \
 					--disable-systemd --disable-udev
 
 DISTCLEANFILES = $(pkgconfig_DATA) $(manual_pages)
diff --git a/bootstrap-configure b/bootstrap-configure
index c7f08ed..29cd7bf 100755
--- a/bootstrap-configure
+++ b/bootstrap-configure
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ fi
 		--mandir=/usr/share/man \
 		--sysconfdir=/etc \
 		--localstatedir=/var \
+		--enable-manpages \
 		--enable-experimental \
 		--enable-android \
 		--enable-sixaxis \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9a7ab47..8cbe1b8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -211,6 +211,11 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(datafiles, AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-datafiles],
 					[enable_datafiles=${enableval}])
 AM_CONDITIONAL(DATAFILES, test "${enable_datafiles}" != "no")
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(manpages, AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-manpages],
+			[enable building of manual pages]),
+					[enable_manpages=${enableval}])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(MANPAGES, test "${enable_manpages}" = "yes")
+
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(experimental, AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-experimental],
 			[enable experimental plugins (SAP, NFC, ...)]),
 					[enable_experimental=${enableval}])