--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -159,8 +159,16 @@
 have_jpeg=${ac_cv_lib_jpeg_jpeg_CreateCompress:-no}
 
 # Check for libjasper.
-AC_CHECK_LIB(jasper, jas_image_decode)
-have_jasper=${ac_cv_lib_jasper_jas_image_decode:-no}
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([jasper],
+  AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-jasper], [enable JPEG2000 support]))
+
+have_jasper=no
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_jasper" = "xyes"], [
+  AC_SEARCH_LIBS([jas_image_decode], [jasper], [have_jasper=yes], [
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([unable to find the jas_image_decode() function])
+  ])
+])
+
 
 # Check for tiff headers and library.
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LIBTIFF, libtiff-4,