--- configure.ac
+++ configure.ac
@@ -115,14 +115,24 @@
 	AC_MSG_ERROR([No gacutil tool found])
 fi
 
-dnl Check for the NUnit testing framework
-have_nunit="yes"
-AC_PATH_PROG(NUNIT, nunit-console)
-AC_PATH_PROG(XSLTPROC, xsltproc)
-if test "x$NUNIT" = "x" -o "x$XSLTPROC" = "x"; then
-	AC_MSG_WARN([Can't find NUnit and xsltproc. You will not be able to run unit tests])
+dnl Check for dbus-sharp
+PKG_CHECK_EXISTS(dbus-sharp, have_dbus_sharp="yes", have_dbus_sharp="no")
+dnl dbus-sharp is only needed for the tests. Allow building without them.
+if test "$have_dbus_sharp" = "no"; then
+	AC_MSG_WARN([Can't find dbus-sharp. Test programs will not be built])
+	dnl no need to check for NUnit, the unit tests won't work without dbus-sharp
 	have_nunit="no"
+else
+	dnl Check for the NUnit testing framework
+	have_nunit="yes"
+	AC_PATH_PROG(NUNIT, nunit-console)
+	AC_PATH_PROG(XSLTPROC, xsltproc)
+	if test "x$NUNIT" = "x" -o "x$XSLTPROC" = "x"; then
+		AC_MSG_WARN([Can't find NUnit and xsltproc. You will not be able to run unit tests])
+		have_nunit="no"
+	fi
 fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_DBUS_SHARP, test "$have_dbus_sharp" = "yes")
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_NUNIT, test "$have_nunit" = "yes")
 
 AC_SUBST(RUNTIME)
--- Makefile.am
+++ Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-SUBDIRS = galago tests
+SUBDIRS = galago
+
+if HAVE_DBUS_SHARP
+SUBDIRS += tests
+endif
 
 pcdata_DATA = galago-sharp.pc
 pcdatadir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig