diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 46a6986..1ac6351 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -112,11 +112,19 @@
 AC_SUBST([GNUTLS_LIBS])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_GNUTLS], [ ! test "x$GNUTLS_LIBS" = x ])
 
-AC_CHECK_LIB([pam], [pam_start], 
-	     [AC_CHECK_HEADER([security/pam_appl.h],
-			     [PAM_LIBS='-lpam'
-			      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_PAM, 1, [PAM available])],
-			     [], [#include <stdio.h>])])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([pam],
+	AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-pam],
+		       [build in support for authenticating users using PAM (default yes)]),
+	[enable_pam="$enableval"], [enable_pam=yes])
+
+PAM_LIBS=
+if test "x$enable_pam" = xyes; then
+	AC_CHECK_LIB([pam], [pam_start], 
+		     [AC_CHECK_HEADER([security/pam_appl.h],
+				     [PAM_LIBS='-lpam'
+				      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_PAM, 1, [PAM available])],
+				     [], [#include <stdio.h>])])
+fi
 AC_SUBST([PAM_LIBS])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PAM], [ ! test "x$PAM_LIBS" = x ])