diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c20e6f02..a7633b06 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3595,9 +3595,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([messages],
    [enable_messages=${enableval}],
    [enable_messages=yes])
 AS_IF([[test "x$enable_messages" = "xyes"]],
-  [ AC_DEFINE([HAVE_MESSAGES],[1],[Define to 1 to enable support for error messages.]) ],
+  [ AC_DEFINE([HAVE_MESSAGES],[1],[Define to 1 to enable support for text messages.]) ],
   [[ enable_messages=no ]])
 AC_MSG_RESULT([[$enable_messages]])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_MESSAGES], [test "x$enable_messages" != "xno"])
 
 
 # optional: have postprocessor?
diff --git a/src/microhttpd/Makefile.am b/src/microhttpd/Makefile.am
index a802b580..ef5f9bb5 100644
--- a/src/microhttpd/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/microhttpd/Makefile.am
@@ -295,9 +295,11 @@ endif
 endif
 
 if HAVE_ANYAUTH
+if HAVE_MESSAGES
 check_PROGRAMS += \
   test_auth_parse
 endif
+endif
 if ENABLE_DAUTH
 check_PROGRAMS += \
   test_str_quote \