diff --git a/TPMCmd/Makefile.am b/TPMCmd/Makefile.am
index 4afe12e..0630bdd 100644
--- a/TPMCmd/Makefile.am
+++ b/TPMCmd/Makefile.am
@@ -53,12 +53,13 @@ libplatform = Platform/src/libplatform.a
 libtpm = tpm/src/libtpm.a
 tpm2_simulator = Simulator/src/tpm2-simulator
 
-bin_PROGRAMS = $(tpm2_simulator)
 noinst_LIBRARIES = $(libplatform) $(libtpm)
 
 Platform_src_libplatform_a_CFLAGS = $(EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(PLATFORM_INC) $(TPM_INC)
 Platform_src_libplatform_a_SOURCES = $(PLATFORM_C) $(PLATFORM_H)
 
+if HAVE_PTHREAD
+bin_PROGRAMS = $(tpm2_simulator)
 Simulator_src_tpm2_simulator_CFLAGS = $(EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(PLATFORM_INC) \
     $(TPM_INC) $(SIMULATOR_INC) $(LIBCRYPTO_CFLAGS) $(PTHREAD_CFLAGS)
 # the weird / duplicate static library is necessary for dealing with the
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ Simulator_src_tpm2_simulator_CFLAGS = $(EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(PLATFORM_INC) \
 Simulator_src_tpm2_simulator_LDADD = $(libplatform) $(libtpm) \
     $(libplatform) $(LIBCRYPTO_LIBS) $(PTHREAD_LIBS) @ADDITIONAL_LIBS@
 Simulator_src_tpm2_simulator_SOURCES = $(SIMULATOR_C) $(SIMULATOR_H)
+endif
 
 tpm_src_libtpm_a_CFLAGS = $(EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(PLATFORM_INC) $(TPM_INC) \
     $(LIBCRYPTO_CFLAGS)
diff --git a/TPMCmd/configure.ac b/TPMCmd/configure.ac
index ab31cc4..3fbe895 100644
--- a/TPMCmd/configure.ac
+++ b/TPMCmd/configure.ac
@@ -56,7 +56,14 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_usedeviceid" = "xyes"], [
     PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBUDEV], [libudev])
     [ADDITIONAL_LIBS="-ludev"]
 ])
-AX_PTHREAD([], [AC_MSG_ERROR([requires pthread])])
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([pthread],
+    [AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-pthread], [Disable pthread support (tpm simulator will not be built, but only the libraries)])],
+    [use_pthread=$enableval], [use_pthread=yes])
+AS_IF([test "x$use_pthread" = "xyes"],
+    [AX_PTHREAD([], [AC_MSG_ERROR([requires pthread])])],
+    [AC_MSG_NOTICE([pthread support disabled])])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PTHREAD], [test "x$use_pthread" = "xyes"])
 
 AC_DEFINE([HASH_LIB], [Ossl], [Crypto lib for hash algorithms])
 AC_DEFINE([SYM_LIB], [Ossl], [Crypto lib for symmetric encryption algorithms])