diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 89335f82..baf843ce 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ branches:
 before_install:
   - sudo apt-get update -qq
   - sudo apt-get install -qq libpulse-dev portaudio19-dev libsonic-dev
-  - sudo apt-get install -qq ruby
-  - sudo gem install ronn
 
 script:
   - ./autogen.sh
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index df43eac0..f44444be 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -161,7 +161,10 @@ endif
 endif
 
 bin_PROGRAMS += src/speak-ng
+
+if HAVE_RONN
 man1_MANS += src/speak-ng.1
+endif
 
 src_speak_ng_LDADD   = src/libespeak-ng.la
 src_speak_ng_LDFLAGS = -static
@@ -169,7 +172,10 @@ src_speak_ng_CFLAGS  = -Isrc/libespeak-ng -Isrc/include/espeak-ng -D _POSIX_C_SO
 src_speak_ng_SOURCES = src/speak-ng.c
 
 bin_PROGRAMS += src/espeak-ng
+
+if HAVE_RONN
 man1_MANS += src/espeak-ng.1
+endif
 
 src_espeak_ng_LDADD   = src/libespeak-ng.la
 src_espeak_ng_CFLAGS  = -Isrc/include/espeak-ng
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9996c8d5..e70a3213 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Optionally, you need:
 To build the documentation, you need:
 
 1.  the `kramdown` markdown processor.
-2.  the `ronn` man-page markdown processor.
+2.  the `ronn` man-page markdown processor to build the man pages.
 
 ### Debian
 
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ Core dependencies:
 |---------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
 | autotools     | `sudo apt-get install make autoconf automake libtool pkg-config` |
 | c11 compiler  | `sudo apt-get install gcc`                                       |
-| ronn          | `sudo apt-get install ruby-ronn`                                 |
 
 Optional dependencies:
 
@@ -65,6 +64,7 @@ Optional dependencies:
 | portaudio 18 | `sudo apt-get install libportaudio-dev` |
 | portaudio 19 | `sudo apt-get install portaudio19-dev`  |
 | sonic        | `sudo apt-get install libsonic-dev`     |
+| ronn         | `sudo apt-get install ruby-ronn`        |
 
 Documentation dependencies:
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 15a15f06..189f8eb8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -259,6 +259,14 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(OPT_KLATT,  [test x"$have_klatt"  = xyes])
 AM_CONDITIONAL(OPT_MBROLA, [test x"$have_mbrola" = xyes])
 AM_CONDITIONAL(OPT_ASYNC,  [test x"$have_async"  = xyes])
 
+dnl ================================================================
+dnl ronn checks.
+dnl ================================================================
+
+AC_CHECK_PROG(RONN, ronn, ronn, no)
+
+AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_RONN, [test ! x"$RONN" = xno])
+
 dnl ================================================================
 dnl Extended dictionary checks.
 dnl ================================================================