diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index fe40fa6..00250f4 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ AC_MSG_RESULT([$has_pam])
 
 AC_CHECK_PROG([XMLLINT], [xmllint], [xmllint])
 AC_CHECK_PROG([XSLTPROC], [xsltproc], [xsltproc])
+AC_CHECK_PROG([POD2MAN], [pod2man], [xsltproc])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_MAN, test "$POD2MAN" != "x")
 
 GTK_DOC_CHECK([1.3])
 
diff --git a/data/Makefile.am b/data/Makefile.am
index 292b879..38b3343 100644
--- a/data/Makefile.am
+++ b/data/Makefile.am
@@ -18,9 +18,13 @@ polkit_DATA = $(polkit_in_files:.policy.in=.policy)
 confdir = $(sysconfdir)/
 conf_DATA = fprintd.conf
 
-man_MANS = fprintd.1
+man_MANS =
+
+if BUILD_MAN
+man_MANS += fprintd.1
 fprintd.1: fprintd.pod
 	$(AM_V_GEN) pod2man -c "" -s 1 -q none -n fprintd -r freedesktop $< > $@
+endif
 
 EXTRA_DIST = $(dbus_services_in_files) $(dbus_conf_DATA) $(polkit_in_files) $(conf_DATA) fprintd.pod
 CLEANFILES = $(polkit_DATA) $(dbus_services_DATA) fprintd.1