diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 113ae9f..5c4859c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -39,9 +39,12 @@
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(MONO, mono >= 1.2.6, have_mono=yes, have_mono=no)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_MONO, [test "$have_mono" = "yes"])
 
-AC_PATH_PROG([ANT], [ant])
-AX_PROG_JAVAC
-AX_PROG_JAVA
+AX_THRIFT_LIB(java, [Java], yes)
+if test "$with_java" = "yes";  then
+  AC_PATH_PROG([ANT], [ant])
+  AX_PROG_JAVAC
+  AX_PROG_JAVA
+fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_JAVA],
                [test -n "$ANT" -a -n "$JAVA" -a -n "$JAVAC"])