diff --git a/winsup/configure.ac b/winsup/configure.ac
index 9205a8886..7a2121dae 100644
--- a/winsup/configure.ac
+++ b/winsup/configure.ac
@@ -111,10 +111,12 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(CROSS_BOOTSTRAP, [test "x$with_cross_bootstrap" != "xyes"])
 
 AC_EXEEXT
 
-AC_CHECK_LIB([bfd], [bfd_init], [true],
-	     AC_MSG_WARN([Not building dumper.exe since some required libraries or headers are missing]))
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([dumper],
+	      [AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-dumper], [do not build the 'dumper' utility])],
+	      [build_dumper=$enableval],
+	      [build_dumper=yes])
 
-AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_DUMPER, [test "x$ac_cv_lib_bfd_bfd_init" = "xyes"])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_DUMPER, [test "x$build_dumper" = "xyes"])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
     Makefile
diff --git a/winsup/doc/faq-programming.xml b/winsup/doc/faq-programming.xml
index a24b781cf..24c7f928e 100644
--- a/winsup/doc/faq-programming.xml
+++ b/winsup/doc/faq-programming.xml
@@ -685,7 +685,8 @@ installed; you at least need <literal>gcc-g++</literal>,
 <para>
 Additionally, building the <code>dumper</code> utility requires
 <literal>gettext-devel</literal>, <literal>libiconv-devel</literal>
-<literal>zlib-devel</literal>.
+<literal>zlib-devel</literal>.  Building this program can be disabled with the
+<literal>--disable-dumper</literal> option to <literal>configure</literal>.
 </para>
 
 <para>