diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 15b67173ee..cb9673fe55 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -446,6 +446,8 @@ if test x$boost_sleep != xyes; then
   AC_MSG_ERROR(No working boost sleep implementation found. If on ubuntu 13.10 with libboost1.54-all-dev remove libboost.1.54-all-dev and use libboost1.53-all-dev)
 fi
 
+build_bitcoind=yes
+build_bitcoin_cli=yes
 BITCOIN_QT_INIT
 
 if test x$use_pkgconfig = xyes; then
@@ -482,6 +484,14 @@ fi
 
 BITCOIN_QT_PATH_PROGS([PROTOC], [protoc],$protoc_bin_path)
 
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([if bitcoind should be enabled])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_BITCOIND], [test x$build_bitcoind = xyes])
+AC_MSG_RESULT($build_bitcoind)
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([if bitcoin-cli should be enabled])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_BITCOIN_CLI], [test x$build_bitcoin_cli = xyes])
+AC_MSG_RESULT($build_bitcoin_cli)
+
 dnl sets $bitcoin_enable_qt, $bitcoin_enable_qt_test, $bitcoin_enable_qt_dbus
 BITCOIN_QT_CONFIGURE([$use_pkgconfig], [qt4])
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 846de05d10..f27f16ab91 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@ if ENABLE_WALLET
 noinst_LIBRARIES += libbitcoin_wallet.a
 endif
 
-bin_PROGRAMS = bitcoind bitcoin-cli
+bin_PROGRAMS =
+
+if BUILD_BITCOIND
+  bin_PROGRAMS += bitcoind
+endif
+
+if BUILD_BITCOIN_CLI
+  bin_PROGRAMS += bitcoin-cli
+endif
 
 SUBDIRS = . $(BUILD_QT) $(BUILD_TEST)
 DIST_SUBDIRS = . qt test