diff --git a/cf/krb-readline.m4 b/cf/krb-readline.m4
index 4ba2dbd18..0a9b7278b 100644
--- a/cf/krb-readline.m4
+++ b/cf/krb-readline.m4
@@ -22,16 +22,20 @@ fi
 dnl readline
 
 ac_foo=no
+build_editline=no
 if test "$with_readline" = yes; then
 	:
 elif test "$ac_cv_func_readline" = yes; then
 	:
 elif test "$ac_cv_func_el_init" = yes; then
 	ac_foo=yes
+	build_editline=yes
 	LIB_readline="\$(top_builddir)/lib/editline/libel_compat.la \$(LIB_el_init) \$(LIB_tgetent)"
 else
+	build_editline=yes
 	LIB_readline="\$(top_builddir)/lib/editline/libeditline.la \$(LIB_tgetent)"
 fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(EDITLINE "$build_editline" = yes)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(el_compat, test "$ac_foo" = yes)
 AC_DEFINE(HAVE_READLINE, 1, 
 	[Define if you have a readline compatible library.])dnl
diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index 1f32a09a8..c6a7c64a9 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.am.common
 
+if EDITLINE
+dir_editline = editline
+endif
 if KRB4
 dir_45 = 45
 endif
@@ -18,6 +21,6 @@ if !HAVE_OPENSSL
 dir_hcrypto = hcrypto
 endif
 
-SUBDIRS = roken vers editline $(dir_com_err) sl wind asn1 sqlite \
+SUBDIRS = roken vers $(dir_editline) $(dir_com_err) sl wind asn1 sqlite \
 	$(dir_hcrypto) hx509 krb5 ntlm kafs gssapi hdb kadm5 \
 	auth $(dir_45) $(dir_otp) $(dir_dce)