diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c4a6ca6875..a9345eb28f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -414,6 +414,17 @@ AC_SYS_LARGEFILE
 
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([getline])
 
+# ----------------------------------------
+# Check for programs needed to build documentation.
+# ----------------------------------------
+
+AC_CHECK_PROG([have_asciidoc], asciidoc, true, false)
+if $have_asciidoc; then
+  AM_CONDITIONAL([ASCIIDOC], true)
+else
+  AM_CONDITIONAL([ASCIIDOC], false)
+fi
+
 # ----------------------------------------
 # Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
 # ----------------------------------------
@@ -513,6 +524,16 @@ echo "You can now build and install $PACKAGE_NAME by running:"
 echo ""
 echo "$ make"
 echo "$ sudo make install"
+echo ""
+
+AM_COND_IF([ASCIIDOC],
+  [
+   echo "This will also build the documentation."
+  ], [
+   echo "Documentation will not be built because asciidoc is missing."
+  ]
+)
+
 # echo "$ sudo make install LANGS=\"eng ara deu\""
 # echo "  Or:"
 # echo "$ sudo make install-langs"
diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index e016eff2d8..0b9a251edd 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # doc/Makefile.am
 
+if ASCIIDOC
+
 asciidoc=asciidoc -d manpage
 
 man_MANS = \
@@ -28,3 +30,5 @@ man_MANS = \
 	$(asciidoc) -o $@ $<
 
 MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(man_MANS) Doxyfile
+
+endif