diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1e6891b1..c801789c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1312,6 +1312,21 @@ if test "${enable_async_push}" = "yes"; then
        )
 fi

+AC_ARG_ENABLE(
+       [tests],
+       AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-tests], [enable unit tests @<:@default=no@:>@])
+)
+
+if test "${enable_tests}" = "yes"; then
+       PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CMOCKA], [cmocka])
+       TEST_CFLAGS="${CMOCKA_CFLAGS}"
+       TEST_LDFLAGS="${CMOCKA_LIBS}"
+       AC_SUBST([TEST_CFLAGS])
+       AC_SUBST([TEST_LDFLAGS])
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_TESTS], [test "${enable_tests}" = "yes"])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([CMOCKA_INITIALIZED], [false])
+
 CONFIGURE_DEFINES="`set | grep '^enable_.*=' ; set | grep '^with_.*='`"
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([CONFIGURE_DEFINES], ["`echo ${CONFIGURE_DEFINES}`"], [Configuration settings])

@@ -1360,27 +1375,6 @@ AC_SUBST([VENDOR_SRC_ROOT])
 AC_SUBST([VENDOR_BUILD_ROOT])
 AC_SUBST([VENDOR_DIST_ROOT])

-TEST_LDFLAGS="${OPTIONAL_CRYPTO_LIBS} ${OPTIONAL_PKCS11_LIBS} -lcmocka -L\$(abs_top_builddir)/vendor/dist/lib -Wl,-rpath,\$(abs_top_builddir)/vendor/dist/lib"
-TEST_CFLAGS="${OPTIONAL_CRYPTO_CFLAGS} ${OPTIONAL_PKCS11_CFLAGS} -I\$(top_srcdir)/include -I\$(abs_top_builddir)/vendor/dist/include"
-
-AC_SUBST([TEST_LDFLAGS])
-AC_SUBST([TEST_CFLAGS])
-
-# Check if cmake is available and cmocka git submodule is initialized,
-# needed for unit testing
-AC_CHECK_PROGS([CMAKE], [cmake])
-if test -n "${CMAKE}"; then
-   if test -f "${srcdir}/vendor/cmocka/CMakeLists.txt"; then
-      AM_CONDITIONAL([CMOCKA_INITIALIZED], [true])
-   else
-      AM_CONDITIONAL([CMOCKA_INITIALIZED], [false])
-      AC_MSG_RESULT([!! WARNING !! The cmoka git submodule has not been initialized or updated.  Unit testing cannot be performed.])
-   fi
-else
-   AC_MSG_RESULT([!! WARNING !! CMake is NOT available.  Unit testing cannot be performed.])
-   AM_CONDITIONAL([CMOCKA_INITIALIZED], [false])
-fi
-

 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
        version.sh
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/Makefile.am b/tests/unit_tests/Makefile.am
index 31d37b89..4b7fb41d 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = foreign

-if CMOCKA_INITIALIZED
+if ENABLE_TESTS
 SUBDIRS = example_test openvpn plugins
 endif