diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index f97285c6a..dba94bab7 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 # Point to our macro directory and pick up user flags from the environment
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS  = -I m4 ${ACLOCAL_FLAGS}
 
-SUBDIRS = data js src browser-plugin tests po docs
+SUBDIRS = data js src  tests po docs
+
+if BUILD_BROWSER_PLUGIN
+SUBDIRS += browser-plugin
+endif
 
 if ENABLE_MAN
 SUBDIRS += man
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index acc7200e1..6bc81f67a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -110,12 +110,20 @@ PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GNOME_SHELL_JS, gio-2.0 gjs-internals-1.0 >= $GJS_MIN_VERSION)
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(ST, clutter-1.0 gtk+-3.0 libcroco-0.6 >= 0.6.8 x11)
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(SHELL_PERF_HELPER, gtk+-3.0 gio-2.0)
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(SHELL_HOTPLUG_SNIFFER, gio-2.0 gdk-pixbuf-2.0)
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES(BROWSER_PLUGIN, gio-2.0 >= $GIO_MIN_VERSION json-glib-1.0 >= 0.13.2)
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(TRAY, gtk+-3.0)
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GVC, libpulse >= $PULSE_MIN_VERS libpulse-mainloop-glib gobject-2.0)
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(DESKTOP_SCHEMAS, gsettings-desktop-schemas >= 3.7.4)
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(CARIBOU, caribou-1.0 >= 0.4.8)
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(browser-plugin,
+              [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-browser-plugin],
+                              [Enable browser plugin [default=yes]])],,
+              enable_browser_plugin=yes)
+AS_IF([test x$enable_browser_plugin = xyes], [
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(BROWSER_PLUGIN, gio-2.0 >= $GIO_MIN_VERSION json-glib-1.0 >= 0.13.2)
+])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_BROWSER_PLUGIN, test x$enable_browser_plugin = xyes)
+
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([for bluetooth support])
 PKG_CHECK_EXISTS([gnome-bluetooth-1.0 >= 3.9.0],
         [BLUETOOTH_DIR=`$PKG_CONFIG --variable=applet_libdir gnome-bluetooth-1.0`