diff --git a/cpp/configure.in b/cpp/configure.in
index ffe3671e..04fa8e34 100644
--- a/cpp/configure.in
+++ b/cpp/configure.in
@@ -9,23 +9,31 @@ CFLAGS="-O4 -Wall $CFLAGS"
 AC_SUBST(CXXFLAGS)
 CXXFLAGS="-O4 -Wall $CXXFLAGS"
 
+
 AC_PROG_CC
-AC_PROG_CXX
+
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([if C++ API is enabled])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(cxx,
+	AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-cxx],
+				   [don't build C++ API]) )
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$enable_cxx])
+if test "$enable_cxx" != "no"; then
+	AC_PROG_CXX
+	AM_PROG_CC_C_O
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_CXX, test "$enable_cxx" != "no")
+
 
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
 AM_PROG_AS
-AM_PROG_CC_C_O
-
-AC_LANG_PUSH([C++])
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS(tr1/unordered_map)
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS(tr1/unordered_set)
-AC_LANG_POP([C++])
 
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([if debug option is enabled])
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug,
 	AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-debug],
-				   [disable assert macros and omit -g option.]) )
+				   [disable assert macros and omit -g option]) )
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$enable_debug])
 if test "$enable_debug" != "no"; then
 	CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -g"
 	CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -g"
@@ -33,7 +41,6 @@ else
 	CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -DNDEBUG"
 	CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -DNDEBUG"
 fi
-AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_debug)
 
 
 AC_CACHE_CHECK([for __sync_* atomic operations], msgpack_cv_atomic_ops, [
@@ -54,10 +61,12 @@ add CFLAGS="--march=i686" and CXXFLAGS="-march=i686" options to ./configure as f
 ])
 fi
 
+
 major=`echo $VERSION | sed 's/\([[0-9]]*\)\.\([[0-9]]*\).*/\1/'`
 minor=`echo $VERSION | sed 's/\([[0-9]]*\)\.\([[0-9]]*\).*/\2/'`
 AC_SUBST(VERSION_MAJOR, $major)
 AC_SUBST(VERSION_MINOR, $minor)
 
+
 AC_OUTPUT([Makefile src/Makefile test/Makefile])
 
diff --git a/cpp/src/Makefile.am b/cpp/src/Makefile.am
index 79b692d4..fc673856 100644
--- a/cpp/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/cpp/src/Makefile.am
@@ -6,8 +6,12 @@ libmsgpack_la_SOURCES = \
 		objectc.c \
 		version.c \
 		vrefbuffer.c \
-		zone.c \
+		zone.c
+
+if ENABLE_CXX
+libmsgpack_la_SOURCES += \
 		object.cpp
+endif
 
 # -version-info CURRENT:REVISION:AGE
 libmsgpack_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info 3:0:0
@@ -39,7 +43,10 @@ nobase_include_HEADERS = \
 		msgpack/pack.h \
 		msgpack/unpack.h \
 		msgpack/object.h \
-		msgpack/zone.h \
+		msgpack/zone.h
+
+if ENABLE_CXX
+nobase_include_HEADERS += \
 		msgpack.hpp \
 		msgpack/sbuffer.hpp \
 		msgpack/version.h \
@@ -66,6 +73,7 @@ nobase_include_HEADERS = \
 		msgpack/type/define.hpp \
 		msgpack/type/tr1/unordered_map.hpp \
 		msgpack/type/tr1/unordered_set.hpp
+endif
 
 EXTRA_DIST = \
 		msgpack/version.h.in \
@@ -80,8 +88,6 @@ msgpack/version.h: msgpack/version.h.in Makefile.in
 		-e s/VERSION_MINOR_UNDEFINED/$(VERSION_MINOR)/ \
 		$< > $@
 
-#version.c: msgpack/version.h
-
 
 doxygen_c:
 	cat ../Doxyfile > Doxyfile_c