diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 9bbae797..effd1f4d 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -230,6 +230,16 @@ if test "x$enable_xmms_plugin" != xfalse ; then
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(FLaC__HAS_XMMS, test -n "$XMMS_INPUT_PLUGIN_DIR")
 
+dnl build FLAC++ or not
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([cpplibs],
+AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-cpplibs], [Do not build libFLAC++]),
+[case "${enableval}" in
+	yes) disable_cpplibs=false ;;
+	no)  disable_cpplibs=true ;;
+	*)   AC_MSG_ERROR(bad value ${enableval} for --enable-cpplibs) ;;
+esac], [disable_cpplibs=false])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(FLaC__WITH_CPPLIBS, [test "x$disable_cpplibs" != xtrue])
+
 dnl check for ogg library
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([ogg],
 	AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-ogg], [Disable ogg support (default: test for libogg)]),
diff --git a/doc/html/changelog.html b/doc/html/changelog.html
index a2a57b6e..e3030965 100644
--- a/doc/html/changelog.html
+++ b/doc/html/changelog.html
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@
 			<li>
 				build system:
 				<ul>
+					<li>New configure option <span class="argument">--disable-cpplibs</span> to prevent building libFLAC++ (<a href="https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&amp;aid=1723295&amp;group_id=13478&amp;atid=313478">SF #1723295</a>).</li>
 					<li>Fixed bug compiling <span class="commandname">flac</span> without Ogg support (<a href="https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&amp;aid=1760786&amp;group_id=13478&amp;atid=113478">SF #1760786</a>).</li>
 					<li>Fixed bug where sometimes an existing installation of flac could interfere with the build process (<a href="https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&amp;aid=1763690&amp;group_id=13478&amp;atid=113478">SF #1763690</a>).</li>
 					<li>Some MinGW fixes (<a href="https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&amp;aid=1684879&amp;group_id=13478&amp;atid=113478">SF #1684879</a>).</li>
diff --git a/include/Makefile.am b/include/Makefile.am
index bc60d786..b45dc840 100644
--- a/include/Makefile.am
+++ b/include/Makefile.am
@@ -15,4 +15,8 @@
 #  restrictive of those mentioned above.  See the file COPYING.Xiph in this
 #  distribution.
 
-SUBDIRS = FLAC FLAC++ share test_libs_common
+if FLaC__WITH_CPPLIBS
+CPPLIBS_DIRS = FLAC++
+endif
+
+SUBDIRS = FLAC $(CPPLIBS_DIRS) share test_libs_common
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 298eb17e..131383e6 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ if FLaC__HAS_XMMS
 XMMS_DIRS = plugin_common plugin_xmms
 endif
 
+if FLaC__WITH_CPPLIBS
+CPPLIBS_DIRS = libFLAC++ test_libFLAC++
+endif
+
 SUBDIRS = \
 	libFLAC \
-	libFLAC++ \
 	share \
 	flac \
 	metaflac \
@@ -31,9 +34,9 @@ SUBDIRS = \
 	test_grabbag \
 	test_libs_common \
 	test_libFLAC \
-	test_libFLAC++ \
 	test_seeking \
-	test_streams
+	test_streams \
+	$(CPPLIBS_DIRS)
 
 EXTRA_DIST = \
 	Makefile.lite
diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index 263450ca..13dc9cb4 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -15,13 +15,17 @@
 #  restrictive of those mentioned above.  See the file COPYING.Xiph in this
 #  distribution.
 
+if FLaC__WITH_CPPLIBS
+CPPLIBS_TESTS = test_libFLAC++.sh
+endif
+
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = FLAC__TEST_LEVEL=@FLAC__TEST_LEVEL@ FLAC__TEST_WITH_VALRGIND=@FLAC__TEST_WITH_VALGRIND@
 
 SUBDIRS = cuesheets flac-to-flac-metadata-test-files metaflac-test-files pictures
 
 TESTS = \
 	./test_libFLAC.sh \
-	./test_libFLAC++.sh \
+	$(CPPLIBS_TESTS) \
 	./test_grabbag.sh \
 	./test_flac.sh \
 	./test_metaflac.sh \
@@ -35,7 +39,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 	metaflac.flac.ok \
 	picture.ok \
 	test_libFLAC.sh \
-	test_libFLAC++.sh \
+	$(CPPLIBS_TESTS) \
 	test_flac.sh \
 	test_metaflac.sh \
 	test_grabbag.sh \