diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f1e090f58..656533573 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -195,6 +195,26 @@ dnl ================================================================
 dnl Handle extra configure options
 dnl ================================================================
 
+dnl     ============================================================
+dnl     Standalone cogl
+dnl     ============================================================
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(
+  [standalone],
+  [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug=@<:@no/yes@:>@], [Build Cogl without any external depedency @<:@default=no@:>@])],
+  [],
+  enable_standalone=no
+)
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_standalone" = "xyes"],
+      [
+        enable_cairo=no
+        enable_glib=no
+        enable_cogl_pango=no
+        enable_nls=no
+        enable_gdk_pixbuf=no
+       ]
+)
+
 dnl     ============================================================
 dnl     Enable debugging
 dnl     ============================================================