diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index cd41238ff..3635cfe6b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -296,6 +296,14 @@ if test "x$have_rti13" = "xyes" ; then
     AC_SUBST(HLA_LIBS, "-lsghla13 -lsghla $hla_libs")
 fi
 
+dnl EXPERIMENTAL fgpanel application
+# defaults to no
+AC_ARG_WITH(fgpanel, [  --with-fgpanel          Include fgpanel application (EXPERIMENTAL) [default=no]], [], [with_fgpanel=no])
+if test "x$with_fgpanel" = "xyes"; then
+    AC_DEFINE([WITH_FGPANEL], 1, [Define to enable fgpanel application])
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL(WITH_FGPANEL, test "x$with_fgpanel" = "xyes")
+
 dnl Used by JSBSim to conditionally compile in fgfs interface code
 AC_DEFINE([FGFS], 1, [Define so that JSBSim compiles in 'library' mode])
 
@@ -940,7 +948,8 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([ \
 	utils/propmerge/Makefile \
 	utils/TerraSync/Makefile \
 	utils/xmlgrep/Makefile \
-	utils/fgviewer/Makefile
+	utils/fgviewer/Makefile \
+	utils/fgpanel/Makefile
 ])
 AC_OUTPUT
 
@@ -977,6 +986,12 @@ else
     echo "Event input: no"
 fi
 
+if test "x$with_fgpanel" = "xyes"; then
+    echo "fgpanel: yes"
+else
+    echo "fgpanel: no"
+fi
+
 if test "x$enable_sp_fdms" != "xno"; then
     echo "Include special purpose flight models: yes"
 else
diff --git a/utils/Makefile.am b/utils/Makefile.am
index fc0f16d47..b07f38ba2 100644
--- a/utils/Makefile.am
+++ b/utils/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 DIST_SUBDIRS = GPSsmooth TerraSync Modeller js_server fgadmin xmlgrep propmerge fgviewer
 
-SUBDIRS = GPSsmooth TerraSync Modeller js_server propmerge fgviewer
+SUBDIRS = GPSsmooth TerraSync Modeller js_server propmerge fgviewer fgpanel
 
diff --git a/utils/fgpanel/Makefile.am b/utils/fgpanel/Makefile.am
index 58804e9c5..fedae0567 100644
--- a/utils/fgpanel/Makefile.am
+++ b/utils/fgpanel/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+if WITH_FGPANEL
 AM_CXXFLAGS = -DPKGDATADIR=\"$(pkgdatadir)\"
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = fgpanel
@@ -12,9 +13,10 @@ fgpanel_SOURCES = main.cxx \
 		panel.cxx panel.hxx \
 		panel_io.cxx panel_io.hxx
 
-LIBS =
+#LIBS =
 
 fgpanel_LDADD = \
 	-lGLU -lglut -lsgmath -lsgprops -lsgio -lsgdebug -lsgmisc -lsgstructure -lsgxml -lsgtiming \
 	-lplibpu -lplibfnt -lplibul \
 	-lrt -lpng
+endif