diff --git a/configure b/configure
index a0bc4d7319..3f9ee47829 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ kernel_path=""
 cocoa="no"
 check_gfx="yes"
 check_gcc="yes"
+softmmu="yes"
+user="no"
 
 # OS specific
 targetos=`uname -s`
@@ -123,6 +125,7 @@ darwin="yes"
 *)
 oss="yes"
 linux="yes"
+user="yes"
 if [ "$cpu" = "i386" -o "$cpu" = "x86_64" ] ; then
     kqemu="yes"
 fi
@@ -208,6 +211,14 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --disable-gcc-check) check_gcc="no"
   ;;
+  --disable-softmmu) softmmu="no"
+  ;;
+  --enable-softmmu) softmmu="yes"
+  ;;
+  --disable-user) user="no"
+  ;;
+  --enable-user) user="yes"
+  ;;
   esac
 done
 
@@ -232,14 +243,20 @@ fi
 
 if test -z "$target_list" ; then
 # these targets are portable
-    target_list="i386-softmmu ppc-softmmu sparc-softmmu x86_64-softmmu mips-softmmu mipsel-softmmu arm-softmmu"
+    if [ "$softmmu" = "yes" ] ; then
+        target_list="i386-softmmu ppc-softmmu sparc-softmmu x86_64-softmmu mips-softmmu mipsel-softmmu arm-softmmu"
+    fi
 # the following are Linux specific
-    if [ "$linux" = "yes" ] ; then
+    if [ "$user" = "yes" ] ; then
         target_list="i386-user arm-user armeb-user sparc-user ppc-user mips-user mipsel-user $target_list"
     fi
 else
     target_list=$(echo "$target_list" | sed -e 's/,/ /g')
 fi
+if test -z "$target_list" ; then
+    echo "No targets enabled"
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 if test -z "$cross_prefix" ; then
 
@@ -385,6 +402,10 @@ echo "  --enable-coreaudio       enable Coreaudio audio driver"
 echo "  --enable-alsa            enable ALSA audio driver"
 echo "  --enable-fmod            enable FMOD audio driver"
 echo "  --enabled-dsound         enable DirectSound audio driver"
+echo "  --enable-system          enable all system emulation targets"
+echo "  --disable-system         disable all system emulation targets"
+echo "  --enable-user            enable all linux usermode emulation targets"
+echo "  --disable-user           disable all linux usermode emulation targets"
 echo "  --fmod-lib               path to FMOD library"
 echo "  --fmod-inc               path to FMOD includes"
 echo ""