diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 1cf0fc6..6499f07 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-SUBDIRS = crypto ssl tls include apps tests man
+SUBDIRS = crypto ssl tls include apps man
+if ENABLE_TESTS
+SUBDIRS += tests
+endif
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e584113..888ca19 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -66,6 +66,15 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([extratests],
 	AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-extratests], [Enable extra tests that may be unreliable on some platforms]))
 AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_EXTRATESTS], [test "x$enable_extratests" = xyes])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([tests],
+       [AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-tests], [Disable tests @<:@default=enabled@:>@])],
+       [
+        if ! test "x${enable_tests}" = "xyes"; then
+		enable_tests="no"
+	fi],
+       [enable_tests="yes"])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_TESTS], [test "x$enable_tests" = xyes])
+
 # Add CPU-specific alignment flags
 old_cflags=$CFLAGS
 CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$srcdir/include"