diff --git a/build/windows/Makefile.am b/build/windows/Makefile.am
index 7520e04fd8..2cc31f2252 100644
--- a/build/windows/Makefile.am
+++ b/build/windows/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
+if BUILD_WINDOWS_INSTALLER
+installer = installer
+endif
+
 SUBDIRS = \
-	installer
+	$(installer)
 
 EXTRA_DIST = \
 	gimprc.rule		\
diff --git a/build/windows/installer/lang/Makefile.am b/build/windows/installer/lang/Makefile.am
index ec9fe92175..a4e7090fc4 100644
--- a/build/windows/installer/lang/Makefile.am
+++ b/build/windows/installer/lang/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 isl_in_files = \
-	setup.isl.desktop.in
-isl_files = $(isl_in_files:.isl.desktop.in=.isl)
+	setup.isl.in
+isl_files = $(isl_in_files:.isl.in=.isl)
 
 stamp_files = \
 	stamp-isl
@@ -35,7 +35,16 @@ stamp-isl: setup.isl Makefile.am
 	done &&										\
 	echo timestamp > stamp-isl
 
-setup.isl: setup.isl.desktop.in $(wildcard $(top_srcdir)/po-windows-installer/*.po) Makefile.am
+setup.isl: setup.isl.in $(wildcard $(top_srcdir)/po-windows-installer/*.po) Makefile.am
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(INTLTOOL_MERGE) $(top_srcdir)/po-windows-installer $< $(@) -d -u -c $(top_builddir)/po-windows-installer/.intltool-merge-cache
 
 all-local: $(stamp_files)
+
+clean-local:
+	@						\
+	for lang in $(languages); do			\
+		code=`echo $$lang | cut -d: -f1`;	\
+		isl="$(srcdir)/$$code.setup.isl";	\
+		echo "  RM       $$isl";		\
+		rm -f "$$isl";				\
+	done
diff --git a/build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in b/build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
similarity index 98%
rename from build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
rename to build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
index 22872d3460..bc25517800 100644
--- a/build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+++ b/build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-; run make to generate the language-specific .setup.isl files
+; to generate the language-specific .setup.isl files,
+; configure with --enable-windows-installer, and run make.
 
 [Messages]
 ;InfoBefore page is used instead of license page because the GPL only concerns distribution, not use, and as such doesn't have to be accepted
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 77565bf7a6..e4c4d38a03 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2270,6 +2270,28 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(gtk-doc-app, [  --enable-gtk-doc-app    build developer documentat
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_GTK_DOC_APP, test "x$enable_gtk_doc_app" = xyes)
 
 
+#############################
+# Check for Windows installer
+#############################
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([if building the Windows installer])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(windows-installer,
+              [  --enable-windows-installer
+                          generate files needed for the Windows installer
+                          (default=no)],,
+              enable_windows_installer=no)
+
+if test "x$enable_windows_installer" != xno; then
+  if test ! -e "$srcdir/build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in"; then
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([no (not building from git)])
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([Building the Windows installer is only supported when building from git.])
+  fi
+fi
+
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$enable_windows_installer])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_WINDOWS_INSTALLER, test "x$enable_windows_installer" != xno)
+
+
 #########################################
 # Allow to configure the GIMP environment
 #########################################
diff --git a/po-libgimp/POTFILES.skip b/po-libgimp/POTFILES.skip
index 504b815ec1..5682bc0eea 100644
--- a/po-libgimp/POTFILES.skip
+++ b/po-libgimp/POTFILES.skip
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 app
-build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
 data/tags
 data/tips
 desktop
diff --git a/po-plug-ins/POTFILES.skip b/po-plug-ins/POTFILES.skip
index a8a84e864f..21a8815942 100644
--- a/po-plug-ins/POTFILES.skip
+++ b/po-plug-ins/POTFILES.skip
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 app
-build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
 data/tags
 data/tips
 desktop
diff --git a/po-python/POTFILES.skip b/po-python/POTFILES.skip
index 3f4dc74164..4f0a2c7943 100644
--- a/po-python/POTFILES.skip
+++ b/po-python/POTFILES.skip
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 app
-build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
 data/tags
 data/tips
 desktop
diff --git a/po-script-fu/POTFILES.skip b/po-script-fu/POTFILES.skip
index 45c298865f..743238368c 100644
--- a/po-script-fu/POTFILES.skip
+++ b/po-script-fu/POTFILES.skip
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 app
-build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
 data/tags
 data/tips
 desktop
diff --git a/po-tags/POTFILES.skip b/po-tags/POTFILES.skip
index bf6dced2e4..e051e26954 100644
--- a/po-tags/POTFILES.skip
+++ b/po-tags/POTFILES.skip
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 app
-build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
 data/tips
 desktop
 desktop/gimp.desktop.in
diff --git a/po-tips/POTFILES.skip b/po-tips/POTFILES.skip
index 371d1c369d..5404848399 100644
--- a/po-tips/POTFILES.skip
+++ b/po-tips/POTFILES.skip
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 app
-build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
 data/tags
 desktop
 desktop/gimp.desktop.in
diff --git a/po-windows-installer/POTFILES.in b/po-windows-installer/POTFILES.in
index a90474ad0b..eb416b25ef 100644
--- a/po-windows-installer/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po-windows-installer/POTFILES.in
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@
 
 [encoding: UTF-8]
 
-build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+[type: gettext/ini] build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
diff --git a/po/POTFILES.skip b/po/POTFILES.skip
index bf44af9b38..1d04d21e2b 100644
--- a/po/POTFILES.skip
+++ b/po/POTFILES.skip
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 app/widgets/gtkscalebutton.c
-build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.desktop.in
+build/windows/installer/lang/setup.isl.in
 data/tags/gimp-tags-default.xml.in
 data/tips/gimp-tips.xml.in
 desktop/gimp.desktop.in