diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index b759d6abc8941fd38e3d9f472b91557943a7f9bc..b693fc713911586a12b4c29a55308dc882edac0d 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
 
 ADD_REQUIRED_DEPENDENCY("eigenpy >= 1.2")
 
+ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(python)
+SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(python PROPERTIES EXCLUDE_FROM_DEFAULT_BUILD True)
+
 # Name of the Python library
 SET(LIBRARY_NAME hppfcl)
 
@@ -53,6 +56,7 @@ SET(${LIBRARY_NAME}_SOURCES
   )
 
 ADD_LIBRARY(${LIBRARY_NAME} SHARED ${${LIBRARY_NAME}_SOURCES} ${${LIBRARY_NAME}_HEADERS})
+ADD_DEPENDENCIES(python ${LIBRARY_NAME})
 ADD_HEADER_GROUP(${LIBRARY_NAME}_HEADER)
 ADD_SOURCE_GROUP(${LIBRARY_NAME}_SOURCES)