diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ca82d29151..bce7b0a302 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -823,11 +823,14 @@ AC_LANG_POP(C++)
 AC_SUBST([HDF5_HL])
 AC_SUBST([HDF5_HL_TOOLS])
 
-## The high-level library is enabled unless the build mode is clean.
+## The high-level library and high-level tools are enabled unless the build mode
+## is clean.
 if test "X-$BUILD_MODE" = "X-clean" ; then
   HDF5_HL=no
+  HDF5_HL_TOOLS=no
 else
   HDF5_HL=yes
+  HDF5_HL_TOOLS=yes
 fi
 
 ## high-level library directories (set when needed, blank until then)