diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index eedb26763e51fe59fc3042355eb5cb9349af7e68..561880216b128849f33f5f2576de83b36423cf1f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -63,25 +63,6 @@ mtime-config.cmake
 mtime-targets.cmake
 
 # Build stage files (Autotools):
-**/examples/callback_test
-**/examples/comp_weights
-**/examples/duration
-**/examples/example
-**/examples/example_hl
-**/examples/iconatm
-**/examples/iconoce
-**/examples/iconoce_hl
-**/examples/model_integration
-**/examples/modulo
-**/examples/output_control
-**/examples/recurrence
-**/examples/repetitor
-**/examples/simulate_iau
-**/examples/tas
-**/examples/test_cf_timeaxis
-**/examples/test_dace
-**/examples/test_jd_logic
-**/examples/uniq
 **/python/mtime/.dirstamp
 **/python/mtime/.symlinkstamp
 **/python/mtime/__mtime.so
@@ -129,6 +110,25 @@ mtime-targets.cmake
 
 # Test stage files (Autotools):
 **/examples/*.dat
+**/examples/*.log
+**/examples/*.trs
+**/examples/callback_test
+**/examples/comp_weights
+**/examples/duration
+**/examples/example
+**/examples/iconatm
+**/examples/iconoce
+**/examples/model_integration
+**/examples/modulo
+**/examples/output_control
+**/examples/recurrence
+**/examples/repetitor
+**/examples/simulate_iau
+**/examples/tas
+**/examples/test_cf_timeaxis
+**/examples/test_dace
+**/examples/test_jd_logic
+**/examples/uniq
 **/test/*.log
 **/test/*.trs
 **/test/test_runner
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 55a3ba908558fc87591314cae68f5dd5d3b52ab2..08709dafe766938bc8a04de51d619cca72bcea11 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -67,12 +67,6 @@ AC_LANG_POP([Fortran])
 
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS([roundf], [m])
 
-AC_ARG_ENABLE([examples],
-  [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-examples],
-     [build examples @<:@default=yes@:>@])], [],
-  [enable_examples=yes])
-AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_EXAMPLES], [test x"$enable_examples" = xyes])
-
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([python],
   [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-python],
      [enable the Python interface @<:@default=no@:>@])], [],
@@ -146,11 +140,10 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([
   test/test_python.sh
 ], [chmod a+x "$ac_file"])
 
-AS_VAR_IF([enable_examples], [yes],
-  [AC_CONFIG_LINKS([
-     examples/iconatm.nml:examples/iconatm.nml
-     examples/iconoce.nml:examples/iconoce.nml
-])])
+AC_CONFIG_LINKS([
+  examples/iconatm.nml:examples/iconatm.nml
+  examples/iconoce.nml:examples/iconoce.nml
+])
 
 AS_VAR_IF([enable_python], [yes],
   [AC_CONFIG_LINKS([
diff --git a/examples/Makefile.am b/examples/Makefile.am
index 0d8984e43aec5282b00ce6f274d0a1d60760dc5b..08b7b199678bd3001fdeec85c9e4134a8dba5258 100644
--- a/examples/Makefile.am
+++ b/examples/Makefile.am
@@ -2,26 +2,27 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 #
-if ENABLE_EXAMPLES
-noinst_PROGRAMS =     \
-    callback_test     \
-    comp_weights      \
-    duration          \
-    example           \
-    iconatm           \
-    iconoce           \
+
+check_PROGRAMS = \
+    callback_test \
+    comp_weights \
+    duration \
+    example \
+    iconatm \
+    iconoce \
     model_integration \
-    modulo            \
-    output_control    \
-    recurrence        \
-    repetitor         \
-    simulate_iau      \
-    tas               \
-    test_cf_timeaxis  \
-    test_dace         \
-    test_jd_logic     \
+    modulo \
+    output_control \
+    recurrence \
+    repetitor \
+    simulate_iau \
+    tas \
+    test_cf_timeaxis \
+    test_dace \
+    test_jd_logic \
     uniq
-endif ENABLE_EXAMPLES
+
+TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include
 AM_FCFLAGS = $(FCMODINC)$(top_builddir)/src