diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7a3b33f..cc93dee 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -56,14 +56,20 @@ PKG_CHECK_MODULES(CONSOLE_KIT,
   gthread-2.0 >= $GLIB_REQUIRED_VERSION
 )
 
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES(POLKIT,
-  polkit-gobject-1 >= $POLKIT_REQUIRED_VERSION,
-  have_polkit=yes,
-  have_polkit=no)
-if test "x$have_polkit" = "xyes" ; then
-       AC_DEFINE(HAVE_POLKIT, [], [Define if we have polkit])
-fi
-AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_POLKIT, test x$have_polkit = xyes)
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([polkit],
+  AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-polkit], [Enable PolicyKit support @<:@default=enabled@:>@]),
+  [enable_polkit=$enableval],
+  [enable_polkit=yes])
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_polkit" != "xno"], [
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([POLKIT], [polkit-gobject-1 >= $POLKIT_REQUIRED_VERSION], [have_polkit=yes], [have_polkit=no])
+  if test "x$enable_polkit"  = "xyes" -a "x$have_polkit" = "xno"; then
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([PolicyKit support explicitly requested but dependencies not found])
+  fi
+])
+AS_IF([test "x$have_polkit" = "xyes"],
+  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_POLKIT], [], [Define if we have polkit])
+])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_POLKIT], [test "x$have_polkit" = "xyes"])
 AC_SUBST(HAVE_POLKIT)
 
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LIBDBUS,
@@ -428,7 +434,7 @@ echo "
         Build udev-acl:           ${enable_udev_acl}
         Build docs:               ${enable_docbook_docs}
 
-        PolicyKit support         ${have_polkit}
+        PolicyKit support         ${enable_polkit}
         RBAC (Solaris) support:   ${msg_rbac_shutdown}
 "
 if test x${have_polkit} = xno -a x${msg_rbac_shutdown} = xno; then