diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 86633b85fbadfb90ce81980340c299f7eb9b9e03..39e6d55d96f32dba6ec7f84a084b5f8e9c3c2cc2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -63,13 +63,17 @@ include(cmake/ide.cmake)
 # If needed, fix CMake policy for APPLE systems
 APPLY_DEFAULT_APPLE_CONFIGURATION()
 
-OPTION(BUILD_PYTHON_INTERFACE "Build the python bindings" OFF)
+OPTION(BUILD_PYTHON_INTERFACE "Build the python bindings" ON)
 
 COMPUTE_PROJECT_ARGS(PROJECT_ARGS LANGUAGES CXX)
 PROJECT(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_ARGS})
 
 add_required_dependency("eigen3 >= 3.0.0")
 
+if (BUILD_PYTHON_INTERFACE)
+  ADD_REQUIRED_DEPENDENCY("eigenpy >= 1.2")
+endif ()
+
 # Add a cache variable to allow not compiling and running tests
 set (RUN_TESTS TRUE CACHE BOOL "compile and run unit tests")
 
diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index b693fc713911586a12b4c29a55308dc882edac0d..1730b56118dbcf504bc0220fcb7692a08e3be09c 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@
 #  ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
 #  POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
-ADD_REQUIRED_DEPENDENCY("eigenpy >= 1.2")
-
 ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(python)
 SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(python PROPERTIES EXCLUDE_FROM_DEFAULT_BUILD True)