diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5499612..bff37ec 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ include(CTest)
 
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.6 FATAL_ERROR)
 
+option(BUILD_TESTS "Build unit tests" OFF)
+
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake)
 
 # Support 'make uninstall'.
@@ -37,11 +39,6 @@ set (LIBRARY_OUTPUT_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/lib
 
 # -- Dependencies -------------------------------------------------------------
 
-find_package(Threads)
-if (NOT Threads_FOUND)
-  message(FATAL_ERROR "Could not find system threading libraries")
-endif ()
-
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS                "-Wall -Wextra -std=c++11")
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG          "-O0 -g")
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL     "-Os -DNDEBUG")
@@ -86,4 +83,13 @@ set_target_properties(libbf PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME bf)
 install(TARGETS libbf DESTINATION lib)
 install(DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/bf DESTINATION include)
 
-add_subdirectory(test)
+# -- Tests -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+if (BUILD_TESTS)
+  find_package(Threads)
+  if (NOT Threads_FOUND)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Could not find system threading libraries")
+  endif ()
+
+  add_subdirectory(test)
+endif (BUILD_TESTS)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7399fe4..81903eb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -47,23 +47,32 @@ Requirements
 Installation
 ============
 
-The build process uses CMake, wrapped in autotools-like scripts. The configure
-script honors the `CXX` environment variable to select a specific C++compiler.
-For example, the following steps compile libbf with Clang and install it under
-`PREFIX`:
-
-    CXX=clang++ ./configure --prefix=PREFIX
-    make
-    make test
-    make install
+The build process uses CMake. For example, the following steps compile libbf
+with Clang and install it under `PREFIX`:
+
+```bash
+cd {path to the cloned repository}
+mkdir build
+cd build
+CXX=clang++ cmake .. -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH=${PREFIX} -DBUILD_TESTS=OFF
+make
+make install
+```
 
 Documentation
 =============
 
 The most recent version of the Doxygen API documentation exists at
 <http://mavam.github.io/libbf/api>. Alternatively, you can build the
-documentation locally via `make doc` and then browse to
-`doc/gh-pages/api/index.html`.
+documentation locally via:
+
+```
+cd {path to the cloned repository}
+cd doc
+make doc
+```
+
+and then browse to `{repo}/doc/gh-pages/api/index.html`.
 
 Usage
 =====