diff --git a/bindings/Makefile.am b/bindings/Makefile.am
index 8e669c231..08a853a06 100644
--- a/bindings/Makefile.am
+++ b/bindings/Makefile.am
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ SWGDEP=$(top_srcdir)/include/hamlib/rig.h $(top_srcdir)/include/hamlib/riglist.h
 	$(top_srcdir)/include/hamlib/rotator.h $(top_srcdir)/include/hamlib/rotlist.h \
 	$(SWGFILES)
 
+BUILT_SOURCES=
+MOSTLYCLEANFILES=
+
 AM_CFLAGS = -fno-strict-aliasing
 ##########################################
 # Perl binding
@@ -57,9 +60,13 @@ uninstall-perl: ## Hamlib-pl.mk
 ##	$(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) -f Hamlib-pl.mk uninstall
 
 
+if ENABLE_TCL
 ##########################################
 # Tcl binding
 
+BUILT_SOURCES+= hamlibtcl_wrap.c
+MOSTLYCLEANFILES+= hamlibtcl_wrap.c pkgIndex.tcl
+
 tcl_ltlib = hamlibtcl.la
 
 tcldir = $(prefix)/lib/tcl
@@ -91,6 +98,8 @@ clean-tcl:
 distclean-tcl: clean-tcl
 uninstall-tcl: 
 
+endif
+
 ##########################################
 # Python binding
 
@@ -139,13 +148,12 @@ uninstall-local: @BINDING_UNINSTALL@
 EXTRA_DIST = $(SWGFILES) \
 			Makefile.PL perltest.pl tcltest.tcl pytest.py
 
-BUILT_SOURCES  = hamlibperl_wrap.c hamlibtcl_wrap.c hamlibpy_wrap.c Hamlib.py
+BUILT_SOURCES += hamlibperl_wrap.c hamlibpy_wrap.c Hamlib.py
 
 ## DISTCLEANFILES = Hamlib-pl.mk Hamlib-pl.mk.old
 DISTCLEANFILES = Hamlib-pl.mk.old
 
-MOSTLYCLEANFILES = hamlibperl_wrap.c Hamlib.pm Hamlib.bs \
-		hamlibtcl_wrap.c pkgIndex.tcl \
+MOSTLYCLEANFILES+= hamlibperl_wrap.c Hamlib.pm Hamlib.bs \
 		hamlibpy_wrap.c Hamlib.py *.pyc
 
 noinst_SCRIPTS = perltest.pl tcltest.tcl pytest.py hamlibvb.bas
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 89c10fa39..08fa903df 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -301,27 +301,24 @@ fi
 dnl Kylix binding has been removed because unmaintained. Volunteers welcome.
 
 
-dnl Check for tcl-dev availability, so we can enable HamlibTCL
-
+# Tcl bindings
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([Whether to build Tcl bindings and demos])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([tcl-binding],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-tcl-binding],
+		[Build Tcl binding and demo (default: no)])],
+	[build_tcl=$enableval],
+	[build_tcl=no])
+AC_MSG_RESULT($build_tcl)
 SC_PATH_TCLCONFIG
-if test x"${no_tcl}" = x; then
+if test x"${build_tcl}" = "xyes"; then
 	SC_LOAD_TCLCONFIG
 	tcl_save_CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
 	CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $TCL_INCLUDE_SPEC"
 	AC_CHECK_HEADERS([tcl.h],
-			[cf_with_tcl=yes])
+		[],
+		[AC_MSG_ERROR([Unable to find Tcl headers])])
 	CPPFLAGS=$tcl_save_CPPFLAGS
-else
-	cf_with_tcl=no
-fi
-AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether to build tcl binding and demo)
-AC_ARG_WITH(tcl-binding,
-        [  --with-tcl-binding	build tcl binding and demo],
-        [cf_with_tcl_binding=$withval],
-        [cf_with_tcl_binding=$cf_with_tcl])
-AC_MSG_RESULT($cf_with_tcl_binding)
 
-if test "${cf_with_tcl_binding}" = "yes" ; then
   BINDING_LIST="${BINDING_LIST} tcl"
   BINDING_ALL="${BINDING_ALL} all-tcl"
   BINDING_CHECK="${BINDING_CHECK} check-tcl"
@@ -331,6 +328,7 @@ if test "${cf_with_tcl_binding}" = "yes" ; then
   BINDING_UNINSTALL="${BINDING_UNINSTALL} uninstall-tcl"
   BINDING_LIB_TARGETS="${BINDING_LIB_TARGETS} \$(tcl_ltlib)"
 fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_TCL, test x"${build_tcl}" = "xyes")
 AC_SUBST(TCL_LIB_SPEC)
 AC_SUBST(TCL_INCLUDE_SPEC)
 AC_SUBST(TCL_SHLIB_SUFFIX)
diff --git a/macros/tcl.m4 b/macros/tcl.m4
index e5450cf17..feed05ce3 100644
--- a/macros/tcl.m4
+++ b/macros/tcl.m4
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([SC_PATH_TCLCONFIG], [
     if test x"${no_tcl}" = x ; then
 	# we reset no_tcl in case something fails here
 	no_tcl=true
-	AC_ARG_WITH(tcl, [  --with-tcl              directory containing tcl configuration (tclConfig.sh)], with_tclconfig=${withval})
+	AC_ARG_WITH(tcl, [  --with-tcl=PATH         directory containing tcl configuration (tclConfig.sh)], with_tclconfig=${withval})
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Tcl configuration])
 	AC_CACHE_VAL(ac_cv_c_tclconfig,[