diff --git a/clients/Makefile.am b/clients/Makefile.am
index 0f256b4d..14755326 100644
--- a/clients/Makefile.am
+++ b/clients/Makefile.am
@@ -2,12 +2,21 @@ bin_PROGRAMS =					\
 	weston-info				\
 	$(terminal)
 
+if ENABLE_DEMO_CLIENTS
+bin_PROGRAMS +=					\
+	$(clients_programs)			\
+	$(pango_programs)			\
+	$(poppler_programs)			\
+	$(simple_clients_programs)		\
+	$(simple_egl_clients_programs)
+else
 noinst_PROGRAMS =				\
 	$(clients_programs)			\
 	$(pango_programs)			\
 	$(poppler_programs)			\
 	$(simple_clients_programs)		\
 	$(simple_egl_clients_programs)
+endif
 
 libexec_PROGRAMS =				\
 	$(desktop_shell)			\
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 5b110e0c..f9f1c538 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -383,6 +383,12 @@ AC_MSG_NOTICE([Weston's native backend: $WESTON_NATIVE_BACKEND])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([WESTON_NATIVE_BACKEND], ["$WESTON_NATIVE_BACKEND"],
 		   [The default backend to load, if not wayland nor x11.])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(demo-clients,
+              AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-demo-clients],
+                             [install demo clients built with weston]),,
+              enable_demo_clients=no)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_DEMO_CLIENTS, [test "x$enable_demo_clients" = "xyes"])
+
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LCMS, lcms2,
                   [have_lcms=yes], [have_lcms=no])
 if test "x$have_lcms" = xyes; then