diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8c9adcd..5b85180 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -114,5 +114,6 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([
         test/bin/Makefile
         test/suites/Makefile
         test/suites/api/Makefile
+        examples/Makefile
 ])
 AC_OUTPUT
diff --git a/examples/Makefile.am b/examples/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8735fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+EXTRA_PROGRAMS = simple_parse
+
+simple_parse_SOURCES = simple_parse.c
+
+AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_builddir)/src -I$(top_srcdir)/src
+LDFLAGS = -static  # for easier running
+LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libjansson.la
+
+all: simple_parse
diff --git a/examples/README.rst b/examples/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..689fd64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+Jansson examples
+================
+
+This directory contains simple example programs that use Jansson.
+
+You can compile the examples by running the configure script normally
+in Jansson's top directory, and then:
+
+    cd examples
+    make