diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f36667ea..ffc0a472 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ DISTDIRS=man
 
 .PHONY : all mosquitto docs binary clean reallyclean test install uninstall dist sign copy
 
-all : mosquitto docs
+all : $(MAKE_ALL)
 
 docs :
 	set -e; for d in ${DOCDIRS}; do $(MAKE) -C $${d}; done
diff --git a/config.mk b/config.mk
index 2878b77a..bd588fd5 100644
--- a/config.mk
+++ b/config.mk
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ WITH_SRV:=yes
 # Use elliptic keys in broker
 WITH_EC:=yes
 
+# Build man page documentation by default.
+WITH_DOCS:=yes
+
 # =============================================================================
 # End of user configuration
 # =============================================================================
@@ -218,6 +221,11 @@ ifeq ($(WITH_EC),yes)
 	BROKER_CFLAGS:=$(BROKER_CFLAGS) -DWITH_EC
 endif
 
+MAKE_ALL:=mosquitto
+ifeq ($(WITH_DOCS),yes)
+	MAKE_ALL:=$(MAKE_ALL) docs
+endif
+
 INSTALL?=install
 prefix=/usr/local
 mandir=${prefix}/share/man