diff --git a/clients/Makefile.am b/clients/Makefile.am
index 7bc0d256..99a5e3f2 100644
--- a/clients/Makefile.am
+++ b/clients/Makefile.am
@@ -64,7 +64,11 @@ clients_programs =				\
 	$(full_gl_client_programs)
 
 desktop_shell = weston-desktop-shell
+
+if ENABLE_TABLET_SHELL
 tablet_shell = weston-tablet-shell
+endif
+
 screenshooter = weston-screenshooter
 
 noinst_LIBRARIES = libtoytoolkit.a
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 5df7c833..0b760c9b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -213,10 +213,12 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_FULL_GL_CLIENTS,
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_DESKTOP_SHELL, true)
 
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(tablet-shell, [  --enable-tablet-shell],,
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(tablet-shell,
+              AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-tablet-shell],
+                             [do not build tablet-shell server plugin and client]),,
 	      enable_tablet_shell=yes)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_TABLET_SHELL,
-	       test x$enable_tablet_shell = xyes)
+	       test "x$enable_tablet_shell" = "xyes")
 
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(wcap-tools, [  --disable-wcap-tools],, enable_wcap_tools=yes)