diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 1f266875c7..519951e51a 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
+AM_DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS = --with-tests=regular --enable-always-build-examples
 
 SUBDIRS = src data doc
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7182408323..ca5bb8c658 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3348,6 +3348,20 @@ AC_SUBST([want_physics])
 EFL_LIB_END([Edje])
 #### End of Edje
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([always-build-examples],
+   [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-always-build-examples],
+       [always build examples. @<:@default=disabled@:>@])],
+   [
+    if test "x${enableval}" = "xyes" ; then
+       want_always_build_examples="yes"
+    else
+       want_always_build_examples="no"
+    fi
+   ],
+   [want_always_build_examples="no"])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES], [test "${want_always_build_examples}" = "yes"])
+
+
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
 Makefile
 data/Makefile
diff --git a/src/benchmarks/eina/Makefile.am b/src/benchmarks/eina/Makefile.am
index c58eab568f..a6d5c19bef 100644
--- a/src/benchmarks/eina/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/benchmarks/eina/Makefile.am
@@ -52,3 +52,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = strlog
 
 clean-local:
 	rm -rf *.gcno ..\#..\#src\#*.gcov *.gcda
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/benchmarks/eo/Makefile.am b/src/benchmarks/eo/Makefile.am
index c57c2e6036..69b3dc1849 100644
--- a/src/benchmarks/eo/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/benchmarks/eo/Makefile.am
@@ -26,3 +26,7 @@ $(top_builddir)/src/lib/eina/libeina.la \
 
 clean-local:
 	rm -rf *.gcno ..\#..\#src\#*.gcov *.gcda
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/examples/ecore/Makefile.am b/src/examples/ecore/Makefile.am
index 4d876a07a4..3f8627303f 100644
--- a/src/examples/ecore/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/examples/ecore/Makefile.am
@@ -267,3 +267,7 @@ uninstall-local:
 	for f in $(SRCS) $(DATA_FILES); do \
 	  rm -f $(datadir)/ecore/examples/$$f ; \
 	done
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/examples/edbus/Makefile.am b/src/examples/edbus/Makefile.am
index b91dcd8029..e7fc3a49aa 100644
--- a/src/examples/edbus/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/examples/edbus/Makefile.am
@@ -71,3 +71,7 @@ uninstall-local:
 	for f in $(SRCS) ; do \
 	  rm -f $(datadir)/edbus/examples/$$f ; \
 	done
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/examples/edje/Makefile.am b/src/examples/edje/Makefile.am
index 97bcd1cad5..e392dea50f 100644
--- a/src/examples/edje/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/examples/edje/Makefile.am
@@ -209,3 +209,8 @@ uninstall-local:
 	for f in $(SRCS) $(DIST_EDCS) $(DATA_FILES); do \
 	  rm -f $(datadir)/edje/examples/$$f ; \
 	done
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+nodist_pkgdata_DATA = $(EDJS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/examples/eet/Makefile.am b/src/examples/eet/Makefile.am
index f9e626fc6e..1233e700ae 100644
--- a/src/examples/eet/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/examples/eet/Makefile.am
@@ -52,3 +52,7 @@ uninstall-local:
 	for f in $(SRCS) ; do \
 	  rm -f $(datadir)/eet/examples/$$f ; \
 	done
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/examples/eina/Makefile.am b/src/examples/eina/Makefile.am
index 4404b119b4..4421f502a0 100644
--- a/src/examples/eina/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/examples/eina/Makefile.am
@@ -149,3 +149,7 @@ uninstall-local:
 	done
 
 EXTRA_DIST = addr_book.txt chat.xml
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/examples/eio/Makefile.am b/src/examples/eio/Makefile.am
index 950f1eca90..762a742292 100644
--- a/src/examples/eio/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/examples/eio/Makefile.am
@@ -51,3 +51,7 @@ uninstall-local:
 	for f in $(SRCS) ; do \
 	  rm -f $(datadir)/eio/examples/$$f ; \
 	done
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/examples/ephysics/Makefile.am b/src/examples/ephysics/Makefile.am
index 2e9b3e738e..73645b7da7 100644
--- a/src/examples/ephysics/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/examples/ephysics/Makefile.am
@@ -87,3 +87,7 @@ uninstall-local:
 	for f in $(SRCS) ; do \
 	  rm -f $(datadir)/ephysics/examples/$$f ; \
 	done
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+endif
diff --git a/src/examples/evas/Makefile.am b/src/examples/evas/Makefile.am
index e1c484aaf2..7557e40e65 100644
--- a/src/examples/evas/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/examples/evas/Makefile.am
@@ -220,3 +220,8 @@ uninstall-local:
 	done
 
 EXTRA_DIST = $(EDCS) $(DATA_FILES)
+
+if ALWAYS_BUILD_EXAMPLES
+noinst_PROGRAMS = $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+nodist_pkgdata_DATA = $(EDJS)
+endif