--- configure.ac.orig	2011-01-29 21:51:17.724952231 +0100
+++ configure.ac	2011-01-29 21:52:29.969745013 +0100
@@ -146,4 +146,14 @@
 # Check for Python support
 ###########################
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([python],
+	AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-python], [Disable Python bindings generation]),
+	[enable_python=$enableval], [enable_python=auto])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([WANT_PYTHON], [test "x$enable_python" != "xno"])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_python" != "xno"],[
+	AS_IF([test "x$have_gtk" != "xyes"],[
+		AC_MSG_ERROR([Python bindings require GTK support, please --enable-gtk])
+	])
+
 AM_PATH_PYTHON(2.3.5)
@@ -156,2 +166,4 @@
-				    pygobject-2.0 >= $PYGOBJECT_REQUIRED])
+                   pygobject-2.0 >= $PYGOBJECT_REQUIRED],
+                   [have_python=yes]
+)
 
@@ -171,6 +183,7 @@
 PYGTK_CODEGEN="$PYTHON `$PKG_CONFIG --variable=codegendir pygtk-2.0`/codegen.py"
 AC_SUBST(PYGTK_CODEGEN)
 AC_MSG_RESULT($PYGTK_CODEGEN)
+])
 
 ###########################
 # GTK Doc 
@@ -271,2 +284,7 @@
-	GObject Introspection:  $enable_introspection
-])
+	GObject Introspection:  $enable_introspection
+])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$have_python" = "xyes"],
+	[AC_MSG_NOTICE([	Python bindings:        yes])],
+	[AC_MSG_NOTICE([	Python bindings:        no])]
+)
--- bindings/Makefile.am.orig	2011-01-29 21:53:17.826282713 +0100
+++ bindings/Makefile.am	2011-01-29 21:53:52.951209371 +0100
@@ -1,2 +1,6 @@
+if WANT_PYTHON
+PYTHON_SUBDIR = python
+endif
+
-SUBDIRS = mono python
+SUBDIRS = mono $(PYTHON_SUBDIR)