diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index a80943ad..0a51a3ab 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ ifneq ($(shell test -f ../src/version.c && echo exists),exists)
 $(error please build grafx2 first. missing version.c file.)
 endif
 
+API ?= sdl
+
+TOOLS = gifanalyzer test_iff
+
+ifeq (sdl,$(findstring sdl,$(API)))
+TOOLS += sdl_image_test
+endif
+
 GIT_REVISION = $(shell cat ../src/version.c | cut -f 2 -d '"')
 LABEL = $(shell cat ../src/pversion.c | cut -f 2 -d '"')
 VERSION = $(subst wip.,wip,$(LABEL).$(GIT_REVISION))
@@ -15,7 +23,7 @@ DOCARCHIVE = ../grafx2-$(VERSION)-doxygen.tgz
 
 .PHONY:	all gifanalyzer sdl_image_test test_iff doxygen
 
-all:	gifanalyzer sdl_image_test test_iff
+all:	$(TOOLS)
 
 gifanalyzer:
 	$(MAKE) -C $@