diff --git a/build-data/packages/vppinfra.mk b/build-data/packages/vppinfra.mk
index 9205987..6ca6eb2 100644
--- a/build-data/packages/vppinfra.mk
+++ b/build-data/packages/vppinfra.mk
@@ -1,2 +1,5 @@
-# nothing
+
+ifeq ($($(PLATFORM)_enable_tests),yes)
+vppinfra_configure_args += --enable-tests
+endif
 
diff --git a/build-data/platforms/vpp.mk b/build-data/platforms/vpp.mk
index 9b4a78c..c3c18ae 100644
--- a/build-data/platforms/vpp.mk
+++ b/build-data/platforms/vpp.mk
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 
 vpp_uses_dpdk = yes
 
+# Uncoment to enable building unit tests
+# vpp_enable_tests = yes
+
 vpp_root_packages = vpp vlib vlib-api vnet svm vpp-api-test \
 	vpp-japi gmod
 
diff --git a/vppinfra/Makefile.am b/vppinfra/Makefile.am
index 3a40016..adcd32c 100644
--- a/vppinfra/Makefile.am
+++ b/vppinfra/Makefile.am
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@
 
 lib_LIBRARIES =
 
-TESTS	=  test_bihash_template \
+TESTS =
+
+if ENABLE_TESTS
+TESTS  +=  test_bihash_template \
 	   test_elog \
 	   test_elf \
 	   test_fifo \
@@ -44,6 +47,7 @@
 	   test_timing_wheel \
 	   test_vec \
 	   test_zvec 
+endif
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS = $(TESTS)
 check_PROGRAMS	= $(TESTS)
diff --git a/vppinfra/configure.ac b/vppinfra/configure.ac
index d0b3a0c..712186a 100644
--- a/vppinfra/configure.ac
+++ b/vppinfra/configure.ac
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@
 
 ######################################################################
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(tests,
+              AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-tests],[Enable unit tests]),
+              [enable_tests=1],
+              [enable_tests=0])
+
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_TESTS, test "$enable_tests" = "1")
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(unix,
             AC_HELP_STRING([--with-unix],[Compile unix version of clib]),
 	    [],