diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d7eb3c3b36..4aab83439e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ GST_CHECK_FEATURE(EXPERIMENTAL, [enable building of experimental plugins],,
 [
   AC_MSG_WARN(building experimental plugins)
   USE_SMOOTHWAVE="yes"
+  USE_TARKIN="yes"
 ],[
   AC_MSG_NOTICE(not building experimental plugins)
   USE_SMOOTHWAVE="no"
+  USE_TARKIN="no"
 ])
 
 dnl broken plugins; stuff that doesn't seem to build at the moment
diff --git a/ext/Makefile.am b/ext/Makefile.am
index 9481e87a22..e03242b70e 100644
--- a/ext/Makefile.am
+++ b/ext/Makefile.am
@@ -180,6 +180,12 @@ else
 SMOOTHWAVE_DIR=
 endif
 
+if USE_TARKIN
+TARKIN_DIR=tarkin
+else
+TARKIN_DIR=
+endif
+
 if USE_VORBIS
 VORBIS_DIR=vorbis
 else
@@ -202,7 +208,7 @@ SUBDIRS=$(A52DEC_DIR) $(AALIB_DIR) $(ALSA_DIR) \
 	$(MAD_DIR) $(MIKMOD_DIR) $(MJPEGTOOLS_DIR) $(MPEG2DEC_DIR) \
 	$(OPENQUICKTIME_DIR) $(RAW1394_DIR) $(RTP_DIR) \
 	$(SDL_DIR) $(SHOUT_DIR) $(SIDPLAY_DIR) \
-	$(SMOOTHWAVE_DIR) $(VORBIS_DIR) $(XMMS_DIR)
+	$(SMOOTHWAVE_DIR) $(TARKIN_DIR) $(VORBIS_DIR) $(XMMS_DIR)
 
 DIST_SUBDIRS=\
 	a52dec aalib alsa \
@@ -215,4 +221,4 @@ DIST_SUBDIRS=\
 	mad mikmod mjpegtools mpeg2dec \
 	openquicktime raw1394 rtp \
 	sdl shout sidplay \
-	smoothwave vorbis xmms
+	smoothwave tarkin vorbis xmms