diff --git a/LCS/Common/configure.in b/LCS/Common/configure.in
index f93228dd3194860ed940807fbc1e86b69984c5a5..c8d9bcef89c8723ea6c41bf8d4339a724e4ceef0 100644
--- a/LCS/Common/configure.in
+++ b/LCS/Common/configure.in
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ dnl
 lofar_GENERAL
 lofar_MPI
 lofar_INTERNAL(LCS/Tools,Tools,,,,"")
-lofar_EXTERNAL(boost,1,boost/preprocessor/repetition.hpp,"")
+lofar_EXTERNAL(boost,0,boost/preprocessor/repetition.hpp,"")
 dnl
 dnl Output Makefiles
 dnl
diff --git a/LCS/Common/include/Common/ObjectFactory.h b/LCS/Common/include/Common/ObjectFactory.h
index cf55bd3d51fd401a9dbf4490beaed26273ca1c9e..8d89ee81b2304f146766a6d9ef690ba5c45751c0 100644
--- a/LCS/Common/include/Common/ObjectFactory.h
+++ b/LCS/Common/include/Common/ObjectFactory.h
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@
 #  ifndef LOFAR_COMMON_OBJECT_FACTORY_H
 #    define LOFAR_COMMON_OBJECT_FACTORY_H
 
+#    ifndef HAVE_BOOST
+#      error The Boost.Preprocessor metaprogramming tools are required
+#    endif
 
 #    include <Common/lofar_map.h>
 #    include <Common/lofar_vector.h>
diff --git a/LCS/Common/include/Common/Singleton.h b/LCS/Common/include/Common/Singleton.h
index 3ce1cd7650504eb8bcc697e8c7ea9ef5a188913a..511196f01b257d4cc88cae2dbd465eb5859c07dd 100644
--- a/LCS/Common/include/Common/Singleton.h
+++ b/LCS/Common/include/Common/Singleton.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace LOFAR
   // @{
 
   // Singleton implements the so-called Meyers singleton (see Item 26 in
-  // <em>More Effective C++<em>, by Scott Meyers).
+  // <em>More Effective C++</em>, by Scott Meyers).
   //
   // \attention The Meyers singleton is \e not thread-safe. So, you can only
   // safely use this Singleton class <em>as long as</em> there is only one
diff --git a/LCS/Common/test/Coordinates.cc b/LCS/Common/test/Coordinates.cc
index ec05c5e57d5b0309a5a3ba52c8a3553607e585a2..e1bf2470f6f590eff4adc0b12212c15a203ceab1 100644
--- a/LCS/Common/test/Coordinates.cc
+++ b/LCS/Common/test/Coordinates.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 //# Always #include <lofar_config.h> first!
 #include <lofar_config.h>
 
+//# This code can only be compiled if Boost is available.
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+
 //# Includes
 #include "Coordinates.h"
 #include <Common/lofar_iostream.h>
@@ -69,3 +72,4 @@ namespace LOFAR
 
 }
 
+#endif
diff --git a/LCS/Common/test/Shapes.cc b/LCS/Common/test/Shapes.cc
index b1169f777dd7c3cc52e0b0d5e6f27eb5dfa88f61..f5a071fbf7b82bc3274d635123a45fb3c00b161e 100644
--- a/LCS/Common/test/Shapes.cc
+++ b/LCS/Common/test/Shapes.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 //# Always #include <lofar_config.h> first!
 #include <lofar_config.h>
 
+//# This code can only be compiled if Boost is available.
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+
 //# Includes
 #include "Shapes.h"
 #include <Common/lofar_iostream.h>
@@ -71,3 +74,4 @@ namespace LOFAR
 
 }
 
+#endif
diff --git a/LCS/Common/test/tObjectFactory.cc b/LCS/Common/test/tObjectFactory.cc
index 26970008b40243b32a7d6fb0dc03ba0abfbd6402..03118fa1d82723efcced7f6f548caac61b526016 100644
--- a/LCS/Common/test/tObjectFactory.cc
+++ b/LCS/Common/test/tObjectFactory.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 //# Always #include <lofar_config.h> first!
 #include <lofar_config.h>
 
+//# This program can only be compiled if Boost is available.
+#ifdef HAVE_BOOST
+
 //# Includes
 #include "Shapes.h"
 #include "Coordinates.h"
@@ -86,3 +89,13 @@ int main()
   cout << endl;
   return 0;
 }
+
+#else
+
+int main()
+{
+  // Test skipped.
+  return 3;
+}
+
+#endif