diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 480eb50e..3dbf458b 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ pkgconfig_DATA = speech-dispatcher.pc
 
 BUILT_SOURCES = $(top_srcdir)/.version
 
+if LIBS_ONLY
+SUBDIRS= include src
+else
 SUBDIRS= include locale src config po
+endif
 
 if ENABLE_DOC
 SUBDIRS += doc
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index bd18fdbe..ef4da8e6 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -43,11 +43,16 @@ LT_PREREQ([2.2])
 LT_INIT([dlopen])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([src/server/speechd.c])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
-AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.19.8])
-AM_GNU_GETTEXT([external])
-if test "$ac_cv_path_MSGFMT" = ":"
-then
-	AC_MSG_FAILURE([msgfmt missing from the gettext package])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([libs-only], [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-libs-only], [build only the client library])], [], [enable_libs_only=no])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([LIBS_ONLY], [test "$enable_libs_only" = "yes"])
+if test "$enable_libs_only" = "yes"; then
+	with_espeak=no with_espeak_ng=no with_flite=no with_ibmtts=no
+	with_voxin=no with_ivona=no with_pico=no with_baratinoo=no
+	with_kali=no with_piper=no
+	with_pulse=no with_alsa=no with_oss=no with_nas=no
+	with_libao=no with_pipewire=no
+	enable_python=no enable_doc=no
+	with_systemdsystemunitdir=no with_systemduserunitdir=no
 fi
 
 # Split version number
@@ -75,6 +80,7 @@ AC_SEARCH_LIBS([sqrt], [m], [],
 	[AC_MSG_FAILURE([Math library missing])])
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS([pthread_create], [pthread], [],
 	[AC_MSG_FAILURE([Threads library missing])])
+if test "$enable_libs_only" != "yes"; then
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([ltdl],
 	[AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-ltdl], [do not use ltdl for modules])],
 	[],
@@ -99,6 +105,7 @@ then
 	AC_SEARCH_LIBS([dlopen], [dl], [],
 		[AC_MSG_FAILURE([dlopen missing])])
 fi
+fi
 
 if test x$enable_shared = xyes;
 then
@@ -119,7 +126,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(DARWIN_HOST, test "$darwin_host" = yes)
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GLIB], [glib-2.0 >= 2.36])
 AC_SUBST([GLIB_CFLAGS])
 AC_SUBST([GLIB_LIBS])
-
+if test "$enable_libs_only" != "yes"; then
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GTHREAD], [gthread-2.0])
 AC_SUBST([GTHREAD_CFLAGS])
 AC_SUBST([GTHREAD_LIBS])
@@ -135,6 +142,7 @@ AC_SUBST([DOTCONF_LIBS])
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([SNDFILE], [sndfile >= 1.0.2])
 AC_SUBST([SNDFILE_CFLAGS])
 AC_SUBST([SNDFILE_LIBS])
+fi
 
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBSYSTEMD], [libsystemd], [have_libsystemd=yes], [:])
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 2a9659c0..20f61525 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@
 
 ## Process this file with automake to produce Makefile.in
 
+if LIBS_ONLY
+SUBDIRS=api
+else
 SUBDIRS=common server audio modules api clients tests
+endif
 
 
 -include $(top_srcdir)/git.mk