diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 77f640e9..c02f635e 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -88,8 +88,12 @@
       </uptodate>
     </or></condition>
   </target>
+  <target name="-noteaslib" if="no_build_aslib"><echo>
+    NOTE: not building ActionScript library. Pass -Dflexsdk.dir=DIR to
+    activate ActionScript library build.
+  </echo></target>
 
-  <target name="aslib" unless="no_rebuild_aslib" depends="-checkaslib"
+  <target name="aslib" unless="no_rebuild_aslib" depends="-checkaslib,-noteaslib"
           description="Builds the ActionScript code">
     <!-- TODO: these don't seem to be needed for the ActionScript library
                build, why are/where they here -->