diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index a5df146c4..b243b33a3 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if CONDITIONAL_BUILD_DEMOS
 SUBDIRS=src Extras Demos
+else
+SUBDIRS=src Extras
+endif
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA = bullet.pc
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7fd7f899f..4c770c9d2 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -140,6 +140,19 @@ AS_IF([test "$disable_multithreaded" = yes], [build_multithreaded=no], [build_mu
 AC_MSG_RESULT([$build_multithreaded])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([CONDITIONAL_BUILD_MULTITHREADED], [test "$build_multithreaded" = yes])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([demos],
+    [AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-demos],
+	    [disable Bullet demos])],
+    [],
+    [enable_demos=yes])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([CONDITIONAL_BUILD_DEMOS], [false])
+if test "x$enable_demos" != xno; then
+    AC_MSG_NOTICE([Building Bullet demos])
+    AM_CONDITIONAL([CONDITIONAL_BUILD_DEMOS],[true])
+fi
+
+
+
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([debug],
     [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],
 	[build with debugging information (default NO)])],