diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 2a003a21a8..b146aae57e 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I ./config
 SUBDIRS = src include
 if HWLOC_BUILD_STANDALONE
 SUBDIRS += utils tests
-if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN
+# We need doc/ if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN, or during make install if HWLOC_INSTALL_DOXYGEN.
+# There's no INSTALL_SUBDIRS, so always enter doc/ and check HWLOC_BUILD/INSTALL_DOXYGEN there
 SUBDIRS += doc
 endif
-endif
 
 # Do not let automake automatically add the non-standalone dirs to the
 # distribution tarball if we're building in embedded mode.
diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index 9380bb8b10..5d2fda3011 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ dox_inputs = $(DOX_CONFIG) \
 # building standalone.
 #
 
+if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN
 BUILT_SOURCES = $(BUILT_IMAGES)
 
 images/diagram.png: $(srcdir)/images/diagram.fig
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ images/diagram.eps: $(srcdir)/images/diagram.fig
 	    exit 1; \
 	fi
 	$(FIG2DEV) -L eps $< $@
+endif
 
 #
 # Rules for running doxygen.  It depends on the built images and the
@@ -109,6 +111,7 @@ images/diagram.eps: $(srcdir)/images/diagram.fig
 # of nested structurre/union declarations.
 #
 
+if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN
 $(DOX_TAG): $(BUILT_SOURCES) $(dox_inputs) $(PREBUILT_IMAGES)
 	rm -fr $(DOX_DIR)
 	$(DOXYGEN) $(DOX_CONFIG)
@@ -139,11 +142,14 @@ $(DOX_TAG): $(BUILT_SOURCES) $(dox_inputs) $(PREBUILT_IMAGES)
 	@mv $(DOX_MAN_DIR)/man3/hwloc* $(DOX_MAN_DIR)/man3/HWLOC* $(DOX_DIR)/man.tmp/
 	@rm -rf $(DOX_MAN_DIR)/man3
 	@mv $(DOX_DIR)/man.tmp $(DOX_MAN_DIR)/man3
+endif
 
 #
 # Rules for building the PDF
 #
 
+if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN
+
 # The Doxygen config is set to generate a4 latex -- no transformation
 # is necessary.
 $(DOX_A4PDF): $(DOX_TAG)
@@ -183,6 +189,7 @@ $(DOX_LETTERPDF): $(DOX_TAG)
 	   fi; \
 	done; \
 	mv letter-refman.pdf $(DOCDIR)/$(DOX_LETTERPDF)
+endif
 
 #
 # Note that we want to use our own doxygen.css file; not the one that
@@ -195,10 +202,12 @@ $(DOX_LETTERPDF): $(DOX_TAG)
 # pre-bundled in a tarball).
 #
 
+if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN
 all-local: $(DOX_TAG)
 	if test -d $(DOX_HTML_DIR) -a -f $(DOX_HTML_DIR)/doxygen.css; then \
 	    cp -f $(srcdir)/doxygen.css $(DOX_HTML_DIR); \
 	fi
+endif
 
 #
 # Un/install the generated PDF and man pages (just like BUILD_DOXYGEN,
@@ -660,9 +669,11 @@ man3_openfabrics_DATA = \
         $(DOX_MAN_DIR)/man3/hwloc_ibv_get_device_cpuset.3 \
         $(DOX_MAN_DIR)/man3/hwloc_ibv_get_device_osdev_by_name.3
 
-# end of manpages(3) if HWLOC_INSTALL_DOXYGEN
+# end of manpages(3) if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN
 endif
 
+if HWLOC_BUILD_DOXYGEN
+
 # Put in these rules to force the generation of the man pages and get
 # all the dependencies right.  Additionally, this forces a
 # serialization during parallel builds (e.g., "make -j X") to ensure
@@ -717,6 +728,7 @@ $(DOX_MAN_DIR): $(DOX_TAG)
 # built at the same time during a parallel build (e.g., "make -j X").
 # So arbitrarily make the A4 PDF dependent upon the Letter PDF.
 $(DOX_A4PDF): $(DOX_TAG) $(DOX_LETTERPDF)
+endif
 
 #
 # Make sure that the documentation example works