diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index dbfae537b1cd..d9fd920c7cdf 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -701,6 +701,8 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([mgmtd],
   AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-mgmtd], [do not build mgmtd]))
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([mgmtd_local_validations],
   AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-mgmtd-local-validations], [dev: unimplemented local validation]))
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([mgmtd_test_be_client],
+  AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-mgmtd-test-be-client], [build test backend client]))
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([ripd],
   AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-ripd], [do not build ripd]))
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([ripngd],
@@ -1811,6 +1813,10 @@ AS_IF([test "$enable_mgmtd" != "no"], [
   ])
 ])
 
+AS_IF([test "$enable_mgmtd_test_be_client" = "yes"], [
+  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_MGMTD_TESTC], [1], [mgmtd_testc])
+])
+
 AS_IF([test "$enable_ripd" != "no"], [
   AC_DEFINE([HAVE_RIPD], [1], [ripd])
 ])
@@ -2772,6 +2778,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([VTYSH], [test "$VTYSH" = "vtysh"])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([ZEBRA], [test "$enable_zebra" != "no"])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([BGPD], [test "$enable_bgpd" != "no"])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([MGMTD], [test "$enable_mgmtd" != "no"])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([MGMTD_TESTC], [test "$enable_mgmtd_test_be_client" = "yes"])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([RIPD], [test "$enable_ripd" != "no"])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([OSPFD], [test "$enable_ospfd" != "no"])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([LDPD], [test "$enable_ldpd" != "no"])
diff --git a/mgmtd/subdir.am b/mgmtd/subdir.am
index ab3d25819837..fa8025c0e22e 100644
--- a/mgmtd/subdir.am
+++ b/mgmtd/subdir.am
@@ -48,10 +48,13 @@ noinst_HEADERS += \
 	zebra/zebra_cli.h \
 	# end
 
-sbin_PROGRAMS += mgmtd/mgmtd mgmtd/mgmtd_testc
+sbin_PROGRAMS += mgmtd/mgmtd
 
+if MGMTD_TESTC
+sbin_PROGRAMS += mgmtd/mgmtd_testc
 mgmtd_mgmtd_testc_SOURCES = mgmtd/mgmt_testc.c
 mgmtd_mgmtd_testc_LDADD = lib/libfrr.la
+endif
 
 mgmtd_mgmtd_SOURCES = \
 	mgmtd/mgmt_main.c \