diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index eea23946..883141ca 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,6 +18,18 @@ set(RELEASE_NAME "Lightweight email client for GNOME.")
 set(VERSION "0.0.0+trunk")
 set(VERSION_INFO "Release")
 
+option(ICON_UPDATE "Run gtk-update-icon-cache after the install." ON)
+option(DESKTOP_UPDATE "Run update-desktop-database after the install." ON)
+
+if (ICON_UPDATE)
+    message(STATUS "Icon cache will be updated")
+endif ()
+
+if (DESKTOP_UPDATE)
+    message(STATUS "Desktop database will be updated")
+endif ()
+
+
 add_subdirectory(src)
 add_subdirectory(icons)
 add_subdirectory(sql)
@@ -33,12 +45,6 @@ install(
     DESTINATION
         share/applications
 )
-install(
-    CODE
-        "execute_process (COMMAND update-desktop-database)"
-    CODE
-        "execute_process (COMMAND gtk-update-icon-cache -t -f ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/icons/hicolor)"
-)
 
 #
 # Uninstall target
@@ -55,9 +61,23 @@ add_custom_target(
         ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cmake_uninstall.cmake
     COMMAND 
         ${glib_schema_compiler} ${GSETTINGS_DIR}
-    COMMAND
-        update-desktop-database
-    COMMAND
-        gtk-update-icon-cache -t -f ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/icons/hicolor
 )
 
+# Optional: run update-desktop-database at install time.
+if (DESKTOP_UPDATE)
+    install(
+        CODE
+            "execute_process (COMMAND update-desktop-database)"
+        CODE
+            "message (STATUS \"Updating desktop database\")"
+    )
+    
+    add_custom_target(
+        uninstall-desktop-update
+        DEPENDS
+            uninstall
+        COMMAND
+            update-desktop-database
+    )
+endif ()
+
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 3dca2e47..5cea8d59 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -20,6 +20,15 @@ configure_help() {
     printf "\t--prefix=PREFIX\t\tPrepend PREFIX to program installation paths.\n"
     printf "\t\t\t\t[%s]\n" $DEFAULT_PREFIX
     
+    printf "\t--disable-schemas-compile\n"
+    printf "\t\t\t\tDisable compiling the GSettings schema.\n"
+    
+    printf "\t--disable-desktop-update\n"
+    printf "\t\t\t\tDisable desktop database update.\n"
+    
+    printf "\t--disable-icon-update\n"
+    printf "\t\t\t\tDisable icon cache update.\n"
+    
     printf "\n"
 }
 
@@ -47,7 +56,20 @@ do
                                 abort $1
                             fi
                             
-                            CMDLINE="${CMDLINE}-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${value} "
+                            CMDLINE="${CMDLINE} -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${value}"
+                            ;;
+        
+        --disable-schemas-compile)
+                            CMDLINE="${CMDLINE} -DGSETTINGS_COMPILE=OFF"
+                            CMDLINE="${CMDLINE} -DGSETTINGS_COMPILE_IN_PLACE=OFF"
+                            ;;
+        
+        --disable-icon-update)
+                            CMDLINE="${CMDLINE} -DICON_UPDATE=OFF"
+                            ;;
+        
+        --disable-desktop-update)
+                            CMDLINE="${CMDLINE} -DDESKTOP_UPDATE=OFF"
                             ;;
         
         *)                  abort $option
diff --git a/icons/CMakeLists.txt b/icons/CMakeLists.txt
index c924093a..3b2bb6a8 100644
--- a/icons/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/icons/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,3 +16,22 @@ set(ICON_FILES
 install(FILES ${ICON_FILES} DESTINATION ${ICONS_DEST})
 install(FILES geary.png DESTINATION share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps)
 
+
+# Optional: update icon cache at install time.
+if (ICON_UPDATE)
+    install(
+        CODE
+            "execute_process (COMMAND gtk-update-icon-cache -t -f ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/icons/hicolor)"
+        CODE
+            "message (STATUS \"Updating icon cache\")"
+    )
+    
+    add_custom_target(
+        uninstall-icon-cache
+        DEPENDS
+            uninstall
+        COMMAND
+            gtk-update-icon-cache -t -f ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/icons/hicolor
+    )
+endif ()
+