diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 037696b8e5..a3a5eb32c6 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1112,6 +1112,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([
     ompi/include/Makefile
     ompi/include/mpif.h
 
+    ompi/datatype/Makefile
     ompi/debuggers/Makefile
 
     ompi/mpi/Makefile
diff --git a/ompi/Makefile.am b/ompi/Makefile.am
index bc1c9d0b89..9a4371dc5c 100644
--- a/ompi/Makefile.am
+++ b/ompi/Makefile.am
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ endif
 
 SUBDIRS = \
 	include \
+	datatype \
         debuggers \
 	etc \
         mpi \
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ DIST_SUBDIRS = \
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libmpi.la
 libmpi_la_SOURCES =
 libmpi_la_LIBADD = \
+	datatype/libdatatype.la \
         debuggers/libdebuggers.la \
         mpi/c/libmpi_c.la \
 	$(c_mpi_lib) \
@@ -105,7 +107,6 @@ include class/Makefile.am
 
 include attribute/Makefile.am
 include communicator/Makefile.am
-include datatype/Makefile.am
 include errhandler/Makefile.am
 include file/Makefile.am
 include group/Makefile.am
diff --git a/ompi/datatype/Makefile.am b/ompi/datatype/Makefile.am
index dd1cb417cd..7ec8d8def4 100644
--- a/ompi/datatype/Makefile.am
+++ b/ompi/datatype/Makefile.am
@@ -17,36 +17,51 @@
 # $HEADER$
 #
 
-# This makefile.am does not stand on its own - it is included from ompi/Makefile.am
+headers = \
+	datatype.h \
+	datatype_internal.h \
+	dt_arch.h \
+	convertor.h
 
-headers += \
-	datatype/datatype.h \
-	datatype/datatype_internal.h \
-	datatype/dt_arch.h \
-	datatype/convertor.h
+noinst_LTLIBRARIES = \
+        libdatatype.la 
 
-libmpi_la_SOURCES += \
-	datatype/dt_add.c \
-	datatype/dt_create.c \
-	datatype/dt_create_array.c \
-	datatype/dt_create_dup.c \
-	datatype/dt_create_indexed.c \
-	datatype/dt_create_struct.c \
-	datatype/dt_create_vector.c \
-	datatype/dt_destroy.c \
-	datatype/dt_module.c \
-	datatype/dt_optimize.c \
-	datatype/dt_pack.c \
-	datatype/dt_sndrcv.c \
-	datatype/dt_unpack.c \
-	datatype/fake_stack.c \
-	datatype/dt_args.c \
-	datatype/dt_arch.c \
-	datatype/dt_copy.c \
-	datatype/dt_external32.c \
-	datatype/dt_match_size.c \
-	datatype/convertor.c \
-	datatype/new_pack.c \
-	datatype/new_unpack.c \
-	datatype/new_position.c
+#        libdatatype_reliable.la
 
+# these sources will be compiled with the normal CFLAGS only
+libdatatype_la_SOURCES = \
+	dt_add.c \
+	dt_create.c \
+	dt_create_array.c \
+	dt_create_dup.c \
+	dt_create_indexed.c \
+	dt_create_struct.c \
+	dt_create_vector.c \
+	dt_destroy.c \
+	dt_module.c \
+	dt_optimize.c \
+	dt_pack.c \
+	dt_sndrcv.c \
+	dt_unpack.c \
+	fake_stack.c \
+	dt_args.c \
+	dt_arch.c \
+	dt_copy.c \
+	dt_external32.c \
+	dt_match_size.c \
+	convertor.c \
+	new_pack.c \
+	new_unpack.c \
+	new_position.c
+
+# these sources will be compiled with the special -D
+#libdatatype_reliable_la_SOURCES =
+#libdatatype_reliable_la_CFLAGS = -DGEORGES_SPECIAL_FLAG=1 $(AM_CFLAGS)
+
+# Conditionally install the header files
+if WANT_INSTALL_HEADERS
+ompidir = $(includedir)/openmpi/ompi/datatype
+ompi_HEADERS = $(headers)
+else
+ompidir = $(includedir)
+endif