diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index b572d447..7cf531e9 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -74,6 +74,19 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(textui,
 	fi,
 	want_textui=yes)
 
+AC_ARG_WITH(bot,
+[  --with-bot              Build irssi-bot],
+	if test x$withval = xyes; then
+    		want_irssibot=yes
+	else
+		if test "x$withval" = xno; then
+			want_irssibot=no
+		else
+        		want_irssibot=yes
+		fi
+	fi,
+	want_irssibot=yes)
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(plugins,
 [  --with-plugins          Build plugins],
 	if test x$withval = xyes; then
@@ -303,6 +316,9 @@ else
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAS_CURSES, test "$has_curses" = true)
 
+dnl ** check if we want to build irssibot
+AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_IRSSIBOT, test "$want_irssibot" = true)
+
 dnl **
 dnl ** memory debugging
 dnl **
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index d4e162f9..905f86c9 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -6,12 +6,16 @@ if BUILD_GNOMEUI
 GNOMEUI=gui-gnome
 endif
 
+if BUILD_IRSSIBOT
+BOTUI=gui-none
+endif
+
 noinst_HEADERS = \
 	common.h \
 	common-setup.h \
 	irssi-plugin.h \
 	irssi-plugin-gui.h
 
-SUBDIRS = irc-base irc-extra ui-common lib-config lib-nongui settings $(GNOMEUI) $(TEXTUI) gui-none
+SUBDIRS = irc-base irc-extra ui-common lib-config lib-nongui settings $(GNOMEUI) $(TEXTUI) $(BOTUI)
 
 EXTRA_DIST = signal.doc