diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 2e791b9..95378d7 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ pkgconfigdir    = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA  = libeditline.pc
 doc_DATA        = README.md LICENSE
 EXTRA_DIST      = README.md LICENSE ChangeLog.md INSTALL.md
-SUBDIRS         = src include man examples
+SUBDIRS         = src include man
+
+if ENABLE_EXAMPLES
+SUBDIRS            += examples
+endif
 
 ## Generate MD5 checksum file
 MD5 = md5sum
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6f5b032..880f6f1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(terminal-bell,
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(termcap,
    AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-termcap], [Use termcap library to query terminal size.]))
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([examples],
+	[AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-examples], [Build examples/ directory])],
+	[], [enable_examples=no])
+
 #
 # Check what features have been enabled
 #
@@ -82,6 +86,8 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_sigstop" = "xyes"],
 AS_IF([test "x$enable_terminal_bell" = "xyes"],
    AC_DEFINE(CONFIG_TERMINAL_BELL, 1, [Define to enable terminal bell on completion.]))
 
+AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_EXAMPLES], [test "$enable_examples" = yes])
+
 # Check for a termcap compatible library if enabled
 AS_IF([test "x$enable_termcap" = "xyes"],
    AC_DEFINE(CONFIG_USE_TERMCAP, 1, [Define to use the termcap library for terminal size.])