diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 185e4d0862..ace80aed56 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -267,6 +267,19 @@ AC_DEFUN
 fi
 AC_SUBST([with_mailutils])
 
+AC_ARG_WITH([ctags],
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-ctags],
+     [rely on System ctags; this is the default if Universal ctags or
+      Exuberant ctags is installed])],
+  [],
+  [with_ctags=$with_features
+   if test "$with_ctags" = yes; then
+     (ctags --version | grep "GNU Emacs") 2>/dev/null || with_ctags=no
+   fi])
+if test "$with_ctags" = no; then
+  with_ctags=
+fi
+
 AC_ARG_WITH([pop],
   [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-pop],
      [Support POP mail retrieval if Emacs movemail is used (not recommended,
diff --git a/lib-src/Makefile.in b/lib-src/Makefile.in
index 0453b93506..ee17576686 100644
--- a/lib-src/Makefile.in
+++ b/lib-src/Makefile.in
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ libexecdir=
 # Nonempty if Emacs can assume Mailutils is installed.
 with_mailutils=@with_mailutils@
 
+# Nonempty if Emacs can assume ctags is installed.
+with_ctags=@with_ctags@
+
 # Directory for local state files for all programs.
 localstatedir=@localstatedir@
 
@@ -144,8 +147,8 @@ HAIKU_CFLAGS=
 CLIENTW = @CLIENTW@
 
 # Things that a user might actually run, which should be installed in bindir.
-INSTALLABLES = etags${EXEEXT} ctags${EXEEXT} emacsclient${EXEEXT} $(CLIENTW) \
-               ebrowse${EXEEXT}
+INSTALLABLES = etags${EXEEXT} emacsclient${EXEEXT} $(CLIENTW) ebrowse${EXEEXT} \
+	       $(if $(with_ctags), , ctags${EXEEXT})
 
 # Things that Emacs runs internally, or during the build process,
 #  which should not be installed in bindir.