diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 2283d1cd7..a0ccaa4d7 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@ GF_DOC_EXE=gfdoc$(EXEEXT)
         temp install-gfdoc install-editor \
         today help clean
 
-all: unix gfdoc jar
+ifeq ($(ENABLE_JAVA), "yes")
+  BUILD_JAR=jar
+else
+  BUILD_JAR=
+endif
+
+all: unix gfdoc $(BUILD_JAR)
 
 unix: today touch-files opt
 
diff --git a/src/config.mk.in b/src/config.mk.in
index e75c8e98f..860e5bf0f 100644
--- a/src/config.mk.in
+++ b/src/config.mk.in
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ INSTALL = @INSTALL@
 GHC = @GHC@
 GHCI = @GHCI@
 
+ENABLE_JAVA = @ENABLE_JAVA@
+
 JAVAC = @JAVAC@
 JAR = @JAR@
 
diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index db855dda4..8991543ba 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ AC_INIT([GF],[2.2],[aarne@cs.chalmers.se],[GF])
 
 AC_PREREQ(2.53)
 
-AC_REVISION($Revision: 1.12 $)
+AC_REVISION($Revision: 1.13 $)
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([config.mk jgf])
 
@@ -41,44 +41,56 @@ GHCI=$(dirname $GHC)/ghci
 AC_SUBST(GHC)
 AC_SUBST(GHCI)
 
-dnl ***********************************************
-dnl javac
-dnl ***********************************************
-
-AC_ARG_WITH(javac,
-  AC_HELP_STRING([--with-javac=<javac command>],
-               [Use a different command instead of
-                'javac' for the Java compiler.]),
-  [AC_CHECK_FILE("$withval",JAVAC="$withval",[AC_PATH_PROG(JAVAC,"$withval")])],
-  [AC_PATH_PROG(JAVAC,javac)])
-
-AC_SUBST(JAVAC)
 
 dnl ***********************************************
-dnl jar
+dnl java stuff
 dnl ***********************************************
 
-AC_ARG_WITH(jar,
-  AC_HELP_STRING([--with-jar=<jar command>],
-               [Use a different command instead of
-                'jar' for the Java archive tool.]),
-  [AC_CHECK_FILE("$withval",JAR="$withval",[AC_PATH_PROG(JAR,"$withval")])],
-  [AC_PATH_PROG(JAR,jar)])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(java,
+AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-java],
+	       [Build Java components. (default = yes)]),
+[ENABLE_JAVA="$enableval"],
+[ENABLE_JAVA=yes]
+)
 
-AC_SUBST(JAR)
+if test "$ENABLE_JAVA" = "yes"; then
 
-dnl ***********************************************
-dnl java
-dnl ***********************************************
+  AC_ARG_WITH(javac,
+    AC_HELP_STRING([--with-javac=<javac command>],
+                   [Use a different command instead of
+                    'javac' for the Java compiler.]),
+    [AC_CHECK_FILE("$withval",JAVAC="$withval",[AC_PATH_PROG(JAVAC,"$withval")])],
+    [AC_PATH_PROG(JAVAC,javac)])
+  AC_SUBST(JAVAC)
 
-AC_ARG_WITH(java,
-  AC_HELP_STRING([--with-java=<java command>],
-               [Use a different command instead of
-                'java' for the Java Virtual Machine.]),
-  [AC_CHECK_FILE("$withval",JAVA="$withval",[AC_PATH_PROG(JAVA,"$withval")])],
-  [AC_PATH_PROG(JAVA,java)])
+  AC_ARG_WITH(java,
+    AC_HELP_STRING([--with-java=<java command>],
+                   [Use a different command instead of
+                    'java' for the Java Virtual Machine.]),
+    [AC_CHECK_FILE("$withval",JAVA="$withval",[AC_PATH_PROG(JAVA,"$withval")])],
+    [AC_PATH_PROG(JAVA,java)])
+  AC_SUBST(JAVA)
+
+  AC_ARG_WITH(jar,
+    AC_HELP_STRING([--with-jar=<jar command>],
+                   [Use a different command instead of
+                    'jar' for the Java archive tool.]),
+    [AC_CHECK_FILE("$withval",JAR="$withval",[AC_PATH_PROG(JAR,"$withval")])],
+    [AC_PATH_PROG(JAR,jar)])
+  AC_SUBST(JAR)
+
+  if test "$JAVAC" = "" || test ! -x "$JAVAC" \
+     || test "$JAVA" = ""  || test ! -x "$JAVA" \
+     || test "$JAR" = ""   || test ! -x "$JAR"; then
+
+    AC_MSG_WARN([Not building Java components.])
+    ENABLE_JAVA=no
+  fi
+
+fi
+
+AC_SUBST(ENABLE_JAVA)
 
-AC_SUBST(JAVA)
 
 dnl ***********************************************
 dnl Other programs
diff --git a/src/jgf.in b/src/jgf.in
index 621daeb74..4a3085192 100644
--- a/src/jgf.in
+++ b/src/jgf.in
@@ -7,15 +7,32 @@ GF_DATA_DIR=@datadir@/GF-@PACKAGE_VERSION@
 
 JAVA=@JAVA@
 
+GF=$GF_BIN_DIR/gf
+JARFILE=$GF_DATA_DIR/gf-java.jar
+
 if [ ! -x "$JAVA" ]; then
     JAVA=`which java`
 fi
 
 if [ ! -x "$JAVA" ]; then
     echo "No Java VM found"
+    exit 1
 fi
 
-GF=$GF_BIN_DIR/gf
-JARFILE=$GF_DATA_DIR/gf-java.jar
+if [ ! -f "$JARFILE" ]; then
+   echo "JAR file $JARFILE not found"
+   exit 1
+fi
 
-exec $JAVA -jar $JARFILE "$GF -java $*"
+if [ ! -x "$GF" ]; then
+   GF=`which gf`
+fi
+
+if [ ! -x "$GF" ]; then
+    echo "gf not found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+COMMAND=$JAVA -jar $JARFILE "$GF -java $*"
+
+exec $COMMAND