diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 0f3c4c9..92c84f3 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1368,6 +1368,7 @@ enable_dependency_tracking
 enable_precomp_headers
 with_cppunit_prefix
 with_cppunit_exec_prefix
+enable_tests
 '
       ac_precious_vars='build_alias
 host_alias
@@ -40955,8 +40956,13 @@ fi
 
   fi
 
-
-
+# explicit override to enable or disable tests
+if test "${enable_tests+set}" = set; then
+    SUBDIRS="$SUBDIRS tests"
+fi
+if test "${disable_tests+set}" = set; then
+	SUBDIRS="${SUBDIRS% tests}"
+fi
 
 
 for subdir in $SUBDIRS; do