diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e2a99157..08ebd289 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ AC_CHECK_MEMBER([struct sockaddr_in.sin_len],
 
 AC_CHECK_PROG(HAVE_CURL_BINARY,[curl],true,false)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_CURL_BINARY,$HAVE_CURL_BINARY)
-
+AC_CHECK_PROG(HAVE_MAKEINFO_BINARY,[makeinfo],true,false)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_MAKEINFO_BINARY,$HAVE_MAKEINFO_BINARY)
 
 # set GCC options
 # use '-fno-strict-aliasing', but only if the compiler can take it
diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index 179841aa..cb8ce47a 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ DISTCLEANFILES = \
   libmicrohttpd.dvi \
   libmicrohttpd-tutorial.cps \
   libmicrohttpd-tutorial.dvi
+if HAVE_MAKEINFO_BINARY
 info_TEXINFOS = \
   libmicrohttpd.texi \
   libmicrohttpd-tutorial.texi
+endif
 microhttpd_TEXINFOS = \
   chapters/basicauthentication.inc \
   chapters/bibliography.inc \