diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 8144c12..cee45ba 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 
-SUBDIRS = include libjwt examples tests dist
+SUBDIRS = include libjwt
+if BUILD_EXAMPLES
+SUBDIRS += examples
+endif
+SUBDIRS += tests dist
 
 include $(top_srcdir)/doxygen.mk
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4aa1de8..e0e9008 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ AS_IF([test "x$with_openssl" != "xno"], [
 	AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_OPENSSL], [false])
 ])
 
+AC_ARG_WITH([examples],
+	AS_HELP_STRING([--without-examples], [do not build example programs]),
+	[],
+	[with_examples=yes])
+
+AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_EXAMPLES], [test "x$with_examples" != "xno"])
+
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([JANSSON], [jansson >= 2.0])
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CHECK], [check >= 0.9.4], [true], [true])