diff --git a/examples/Makefile.am b/examples/Makefile.am
index 3a996911..f02bb1f2 100644
--- a/examples/Makefile.am
+++ b/examples/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-SUBDIRS = SAX DOM Utils XPath
+SUBDIRS = SAX DOM Utils 
+if HAVE_BOOST
+  SUBDIRS += XPath
+endif
 
 install:
 	echo "Nothing to install here"
diff --git a/m4/ax_boost_base.m4 b/m4/ax_boost_base.m4
index 47454ad5..45ae633d 100644
--- a/m4/ax_boost_base.m4
+++ b/m4/ax_boost_base.m4
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([ARABICA_HAS_BOOST],
                        AC_SUBST(BOOST_CPPFLAGS)
                         AC_DEFINE(HAVE_BOOST,,[define if the Boost library is available])
                 fi
-
+        AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_BOOST, test x$succeeded = xyes)
         CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS_SAVED"
         fi
 ])
diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index 31341337..3f4786b5 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-SUBDIRS = DOM SAX2DOM XPath
+SUBDIRS = DOM SAX2DOM 
+if HAVE_BOOST
+  SUBDIRS += XPath
+endif
 
 install:
 	echo "Nothing to install here"