diff --git a/apps/Makefile.am b/apps/Makefile.am
index b26e1d4..99ec51c 100644
--- a/apps/Makefile.am
+++ b/apps/Makefile.am
@@ -1,17 +1,23 @@
 AM_CFLAGS = $(WARN_CFLAGS) -I$(top_srcdir) -I$(top_srcdir)/include
 
-bin_PROGRAMS = planes render grab
+bin_PROGRAMS = planes
+
+if ENABLE_EXAMPLES
+bin_PROGRAMS += render grab
 
 if HAVE_DIRECTFB
 bin_PROGRAMS += dfblayers
 endif
+endif
 
 planes_SOURCES = planes.c
 planes_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS) $(LIBDRM_CFLAGS) $(CAIRO_CFLAGS)
 planes_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libplanes.la $(LIBDRM_LIBS) $(CAIRO_LIBS)
 planesdir = $(prefix)/share/planes
+if ENABLE_EXAMPLES
 planes_DATA = $(wildcard $(top_srcdir)/configs/*.png) \
 	$(wildcard $(top_srcdir)/configs/*.config)
+endif
 planes_LDFLAGS = $(AM_LDFLAGS)
 
 render_SOURCES = render.c
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 83b09f5..938940f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ if test "x$PYTHON" = xyes; then
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_PYTHON, [test "x$have_python" = xyes])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([examples],
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-examples], [build examples [default=yes]])],
+  [enable_examples=$enableval], [enable_examples=yes])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_EXAMPLES], [test "x${enable_examples}" = xyes])
+
 AC_USE_SYSTEM_EXTENSIONS
 AC_SYS_LARGEFILE
 AC_FUNC_ALLOCA