diff --git a/bindings/vala/Makefile.am b/bindings/vala/Makefile.am
index 04a0c62d..f7749e9f 100644
--- a/bindings/vala/Makefile.am
+++ b/bindings/vala/Makefile.am
@@ -26,25 +26,34 @@ dist_vapi_DATA = \
 MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(dist_vapi_DATA)
 
 eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi:
-	vapigen --library eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
+	$(VAPIGEN_V)$(VAPIGEN) --library eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
 		eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION)/eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION).gi
 
 eek-clutter-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi: eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi
-	vapigen --vapidir=$(builddir) --library eek-clutter-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
+	$(VAPIGEN_V)$(VAPIGEN) --vapidir=$(builddir) \
+		--library eek-clutter-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
 		--pkg eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION) --pkg clutter-1.0 \
 		eek-clutter-$(EEK_API_VERSION)/eek-clutter-$(EEK_API_VERSION).gi
 
 eek-gtk-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi: eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi
-	vapigen --vapidir=$(builddir) --library eek-gtk-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
+	$(VAPIGEN_V)$(VAPIGEN) --vapidir=$(builddir) \
+		--library eek-gtk-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
 		--pkg eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION) --pkg gtk+-2.0 \
 		eek-gtk-$(EEK_API_VERSION)/eek-gtk-$(EEK_API_VERSION).gi
 
 eek-xkb-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi: eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi
-	vapigen --vapidir=$(builddir) --library eek-xkb-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
+	$(VAPIGEN_V)$(VAPIGEN) --vapidir=$(builddir) \
+		--library eek-xkb-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
 		--pkg eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
 		eek-xkb-$(EEK_API_VERSION)/eek-xkb-$(EEK_API_VERSION).gi
 
 eek-xkl-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi: eek-xkb-$(EEK_API_VERSION).vapi
-	vapigen --vapidir=$(builddir) --library eek-xkl-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
+	$(VAPIGEN_V)$(VAPIGEN) --vapidir=$(builddir) \
+		--library eek-xkl-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
 		--pkg eek-$(EEK_API_VERSION) --pkg eek-xkb-$(EEK_API_VERSION) \
 		eek-xkl-$(EEK_API_VERSION)/eek-xkl-$(EEK_API_VERSION).gi
+
+# set up the verbosity rules to avoid some build noise
+VAPIGEN_V = $(VAPIGEN_V_$(V))
+VAPIGEN_V_ = $(VAPIGEN_V_$(AM_DEFAULT_VERBOSITY))
+VAPIGEN_V_0 = @echo "  VAPIG " $^;
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f0cd6690..fb1b4e89 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -112,9 +112,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(fakekey,
               enable_fakekey=yes)
 
 if test x$enable_fakekey = xyes; then
-  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([FAKEKEY], [libfakekey], ,
-    [AC_MSG_ERROR([fakekey not found])])
-  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_FAKEKEY], [1], [Define if fakekey is found])
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([FAKEKEY], [libfakekey], , enable_fakekey=no)
+  if test x$enable_fakekey = xyes; then
+    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_FAKEKEY], [1], [Define if fakekey is found])
+  fi
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_FAKEKEY, [test x$enable_fakekey = xyes])
 AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_fakekey)
@@ -124,12 +125,13 @@ AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether you enable AT-SPI 2 event handling])
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(atspi,
               AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-atspi=no/yes],
                              [Enable AT-SPI 2 event handling default=no]),,
-              enable_atspi=no)
+              enable_atspi=yes)
 
 if test x$enable_atspi = xyes; then
-  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([ATSPI2], [atspi-2 dbus-glib-1], ,
-    [AC_MSG_ERROR([AT-SPI 2 not found])])
-  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_ATSPI], [1], [Define if AT-SPI 2 is found])
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([ATSPI2], [atspi-2 dbus-glib-1], , enable_atspi=no)
+  if test x$enable_atspi = xyes; then
+    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_ATSPI], [1], [Define if AT-SPI 2 is found])
+  fi
 fi
 AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_atspi)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_ATSPI, [test x$enable_atspi = xyes])
@@ -140,78 +142,99 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(python,
               AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-python=no/yes],
                              [Enable Python language binding default=yes]),,
               enable_python=yes)
-AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_python)
-AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_PYTHON, [test x$enable_python = xyes])
+
+dnl check python unconditionally to re-generate
+dnl eek/*-keysym-labels.txt when maintainer-mode enabled
+AM_PATH_PYTHON([2.5], , enable_python=no)
 
 if test x"$enable_python" = x"yes"; then
-    # check python
-    AM_PATH_PYTHON([2.5])
-    AC_PATH_PROG(PYTHON_CONFIG, python$PYTHON_VERSION-config)
-    if test x"$PYTHON_CONFIG" = x""; then
-        AC_PATH_PROG(PYTHON_CONFIG, python-config)
-    fi
+  if test x$enable_python = xyes; then
+    AC_PATH_PROGS(PYTHON_CONFIG, [python$PYTHON_VERSION-config python-config])
     if test x"$PYTHON_CONFIG" != x""; then
-        PYTHON_CFLAGS=`$PYTHON_CONFIG --includes`
-        PYTHON_LIBS=`$PYTHON_CONFIG --libs`
+      PYTHON_CFLAGS=`$PYTHON_CONFIG --includes`
+      PYTHON_LIBS=`$PYTHON_CONFIG --libs`
     else
-        PYTHON_CFLAGS=`$PYTHON $srcdir/python-config.py --includes`
-        PYTHON_LIBS=`$PYTHON $srcdir/python-config.py --libs`
+      PYTHON_CFLAGS=`$PYTHON $srcdir/python-config.py --includes`
+      PYTHON_LIBS=`$PYTHON $srcdir/python-config.py --libs`
     fi
     PYTHON_INCLUDES="$PYTHON_CFLAGS"
     AC_SUBST(PYTHON_CFLAGS)
     AC_SUBST(PYTHON_INCLUDES)
     AC_SUBST(PYTHON_LIBS)
-else
-    enable_python="no (disabled, use --enable-python to enable)"
+  fi
 fi
 
+AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_python)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_PYTHON, [test x$enable_python = xyes])
+
+GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_CHECK([0.9.0])
+
 dnl Vala langauge binding
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether you enable Vala language support])
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(vala,
               AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-vala=no/yes],
                              [Enable Vala language binding default=yes]),,
               enable_vala=yes)
+if test x$enable_vala = xyes; then
+  if test "x$INTROSPECTION_SCANNER" = x; then
+    enable_vala=no
+    AC_MSG_WARN([GObject-Introspection must be enabled for Vala bindings])
+  fi
+
+  AM_PROG_VALAC([0.10.0])
+  have_vala=yes
+
+  AC_PATH_PROG(VALAC, valac, valac)
+  AC_SUBST(VALAC)
+  AC_SUBST(VALAFLAGS)
+
+  AC_PATH_PROG([VAPIGEN], [vapigen], [false])
+
+  if test "x$VAPIGEN" = "xfalse"; then
+    enable_vala=no
+    AC_MSG_WARN([vapigen not found. Was vala compiled with --enable-vapigen?])
+  fi
+
+  AC_SUBST(VAPIGEN)
+fi
 AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_vala)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_VALA, [test x$enable_vala = xyes])
 
-dnl standalone application
-AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether you enable eekboard])
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(eekboard,
-              AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-eekboard=no/yes],
-                             [Build standalone application "ekboard" default=yes]),,
-              enable_eekboard=yes)
-AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_eekboard)
-AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_EEKBOARD, [test x$enable_eekboard = xyes])
-
-dnl Clutter
-AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether you enable Clutter])
+dnl clutter
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether you enable clutter])
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(clutter,
               AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-clutter=no/yes],
-                             [Enable Clutter user interface default=yes]),,
-              enable_clutter=no)
-AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_clutter)
+                             [Enable clutter user interface default=yes]),,
+              enable_clutter=yes)
 
 if test x$enable_clutter = xyes; then
-  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CLUTTER], [clutter-1.0], ,
-    [AC_MSG_ERROR([Clutter not found -- install it or add --disable-clutter])])
-  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_CLUTTER], [1], [Define if Clutter is found])
-  have_clutter_gtk=0
-  need_swap_event_workaround=0
-  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CLUTTER_GTK], [clutter-gtk-1.0], [have_clutter_gtk=1],
-    [PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CLUTTER_GTK], [clutter-gtk-0.10 clutter-x11-1.0],
-      [have_clutter_gtk=1; need_swap_event_workaround=1])])
-  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_CLUTTER_GTK], $have_clutter_gtk,
-    [Define if Clutter-Gtk is found])
-  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([NEED_SWAP_EVENT_WORKAROUND], $need_swap_event_workaround,
-    [Define if GLX_INTEL_swap_event work around is needed])
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CLUTTER], [clutter-1.0], , enable_clutter=no)
+  if x$enable_clutter = xyes; then
+    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_CLUTTER], [1], [Define if clutter is found])
+  fi
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_CLUTTER, [test x$enable_clutter = xyes])
+AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_clutter)
+
+dnl clutter-gtk
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether you enable clutter-gtk])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(clutter,
+              AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-clutter-gtk=no/yes],
+                             [Enable clutter user interface default=yes]),,
+              enable_clutter_gtk=$enable_clutter)
+
+if test x$enable_clutter_gtk = xyes; then
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CLUTTER_GTK], [clutter-gtk-1.0], , enable_clutter_gtk=yes)
+  if test x$enable_clutter_gtk = xyes; then
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_CLUTTER_GTK], $have_clutter_gtk,
+      [Define if Clutter-Gtk is found])
+  fi
+fi
+AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_clutter_gtk)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_CLUTTER_GTK, [test x$enable_clutter_gtk = xyes])
 
 GTK_DOC_CHECK([1.14],[--flavour no-tmpl])
 
-dnl to re-generate eek/*-keysym-labels.txt
-AC_CHECK_PROGS([PYTHON], [python])
-
 dnl define GETTEXT_* variables
 GETTEXT_PACKAGE=$PACKAGE
 AC_SUBST(GETTEXT_PACKAGE)
@@ -219,8 +242,6 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(GETTEXT_PACKAGE,"$GETTEXT_PACKAGE", [Define to the read-only
 AM_GLIB_GNU_GETTEXT
 AM_GLIB_DEFINE_LOCALEDIR(EEKBOARD_LOCALEDIR)
 
-GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_CHECK([0.9.0])
-
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile
 eek/Makefile
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 2574f7d6..41b51cf2 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ eekboard_server_LDADD = \
 	$(GIO2_LIBS) \
 	$(GTK_LIBS)
 
-if ENABLE_CLUTTER
-eekboard_server_CFLAGS += $(CLUTTER_CFLAGS) $(CLUTTER_GTK_CFLAGS)
-eekboard_server_LDADD += $(CLUTTER_LIBS) $(top_builddir)/eek/libeek-clutter.la $(CLUTTER_GTK_LIBS)
+if ENABLE_CLUTTER_GTK
+eekboard_server_CFLAGS += $(CLUTTER_GTK_CFLAGS)
+eekboard_server_LDADD += $(top_builddir)/eek/libeek-clutter.la $(CLUTTER_GTK_LIBS)
 endif
 
 eekboard_server_headers = server-server.h server-context.h