diff --git a/doc/meson.build b/doc/meson.build
index b008211..833df60 100644
--- a/doc/meson.build
+++ b/doc/meson.build
@@ -1,30 +1,32 @@
-sphinx = find_program('sphinx-build')
-custom_target('man pages',
-  command: [
-    sphinx,
-    '-b', 'man',
-    '-D', 'version=' + version,
-    '-D', 'release=' + version,
-    join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'man'),
-    meson.current_build_dir()],
-  output: ['zathura.1', 'zathurarc.5'],
-  input: [
-    'man/conf.py',
-    'man/_bindings.txt',
-    'man/_commands.txt',
-    'man/_options.txt',
-    'man/_synopsis.txt',
-    'man/zathurarc.5.rst',
-    'man/_bugs.txt',
-    'man/_configuration.txt',
-    'man/_description.txt',
-    'man/_synctex.txt',
-    'man/zathura.1.rst'
-  ],
-  build_by_default: true,
-  install: true,
-  install_dir: [
-    join_paths(get_option('mandir'), 'man1'),
-    join_paths(get_option('mandir'), 'man5')
-  ]
-)
+sphinx = find_program('sphinx-build', required: false)
+if sphinx.found()
+  custom_target('man pages',
+    command: [
+      sphinx,
+      '-b', 'man',
+      '-D', 'version=' + version,
+      '-D', 'release=' + version,
+      join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'man'),
+      meson.current_build_dir()],
+    output: ['zathura.1', 'zathurarc.5'],
+    input: [
+      'man/conf.py',
+      'man/_bindings.txt',
+      'man/_commands.txt',
+      'man/_options.txt',
+      'man/_synopsis.txt',
+      'man/zathurarc.5.rst',
+      'man/_bugs.txt',
+      'man/_configuration.txt',
+      'man/_description.txt',
+      'man/_synctex.txt',
+      'man/zathura.1.rst'
+    ],
+    build_by_default: true,
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: [
+      join_paths(get_option('mandir'), 'man1'),
+      join_paths(get_option('mandir'), 'man5')
+    ]
+  )
+endif