diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index 96a1c255573..297897edf37 100755
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -2192,6 +2192,8 @@ def test_exe_extra_ldflags():
 
         'build_fuzzers': options.build_fuzzers,
         'build_examples': 'examples' in options.build_targets,
+        'build_cli': 'cli' in options.build_targets,
+        'build_tests': 'tests' in options.build_targets,
 
         'build_coverage' : options.with_coverage_info,
 
diff --git a/src/build-data/makefile.in b/src/build-data/makefile.in
index 6895950b4a6..ec4bfa7149d 100644
--- a/src/build-data/makefile.in
+++ b/src/build-data/makefile.in
@@ -36,12 +36,9 @@ INSTALLED_LIB_DIR = %{libdir}
 all: %{all_targets}
 
 # Executable targets
-CLI           = %{cli_exe}
-TEST          = %{test_exe}
+
 LIBRARIES     = %{library_targets}
 
-cli: $(CLI)
-tests: $(TEST)
 libs: $(LIBRARIES)
 docs: %{doc_stamp_file}
 
@@ -63,27 +60,33 @@ distclean:
 install: %{install_targets}
 	"$(PYTHON_EXE)" "$(SCRIPTS_DIR)/install.py" --build-dir="%{build_dir}"
 
-check: tests
-	"$(PYTHON_EXE)" "$(SCRIPTS_DIR)/check.py" --build-dir="%{build_dir}"
-
 fmt:
 	"$(PYTHON_EXE)" "$(SCRIPTS_DIR)/dev_tools/run_clang_format.py"
 
 tidy:
 	"$(PYTHON_EXE)" "$(SCRIPTS_DIR)/dev_tools/run_clang_tidy.py" --only-changed-files
 
-# Object Files
-LIBOBJS = %{join lib_objs}
-
-CLIOBJS = %{join cli_objs}
+%{if build_cli}
 
-TESTOBJS = %{join test_objs}
+CLI = %{cli_exe}
+cli: $(CLI)
 
-# Executable targets
+CLIOBJS = %{join cli_objs}
 
 $(CLI): $(LIBRARIES) $(CLIOBJS)
 	$(EXE_LINK_CMD) $(ABI_FLAGS) $(CLIOBJS) $(BUILD_DIR_LINK_PATH) $(LANG_EXE_FLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $(EXE_LINKS_TO) %{output_to_exe}$@
 
+%{endif}
+
+%{if build_tests}
+
+TEST = %{test_exe}
+tests: $(TEST)
+check: tests
+	"$(PYTHON_EXE)" "$(SCRIPTS_DIR)/check.py" --build-dir="%{build_dir}"
+
+TESTOBJS = %{join test_objs}
+
 $(TEST): $(LIBRARIES) $(TESTOBJS)
 	$(EXE_LINK_CMD) $(ABI_FLAGS) $(TESTOBJS) $(BUILD_DIR_LINK_PATH) $(LANG_EXE_FLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) %{test_exe_extra_ldflags} $(EXE_LINKS_TO) %{output_to_exe}$@
 
@@ -121,6 +124,8 @@ bogo_shim: %{out_dir}/botan_bogo_shim
 
 # Library targets
 
+LIBOBJS = %{join lib_objs}
+
 %{if build_static_lib}
 
 %{out_dir}/%{static_lib_name}: $(LIBOBJS)