diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index b3f7c17a..019fe80b 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -78,12 +78,20 @@ if HAVE_BOOST_PYTHON
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS = ledger.so
 
+if READ_GNUCASH
+READ_GNUCASH_VALUE = true
+else
+READ_GNUCASH_VALUE = false
+endif
+
 ledger.so: python.cc libledger.la
 	CFLAGS="$(CPPFLAGS)" LDFLAGS="$(LDFLAGS) -L. -L.libs" \
+	READ_GNUCASH="$(READ_GNUCASH_VALUE)" \
 	    python setup.py build --build-lib=.
 
 install-exec-hook:
 	CFLAGS="$(CPPFLAGS)" LDFLAGS="$(LDFLAGS) -L. -L.libs" \
+	READ_GNUCASH="$(READ_GNUCASH_VALUE)" \
 	    python setup.py install --prefix=$(prefix)
 
 endif
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e18031b1..874c8cca 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@
 
 from distutils.core import setup, Extension
 
-libs = ["ledger", "boost_python", "gmp", "pcre", "xmlparse", "xmltok"]
+import os
+
+libs = ["ledger", "boost_python", "gmp", "pcre"]
+
+if os.environ.has_key ("READ_GNUCASH") and\
+   os.environ["READ_GNUCASH"] == "true":
+    libs.extend (["xmlparse", "xmltok"])
 
 setup(name         = "Ledger",
       version      = "2.0b",