diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3dae8b394..c62216df8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ makefiles = \
   misc/upstart/local.mk
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(ENABLE_BUILD)_$(ENABLE_TESTS), yes_yes)
+ifeq ($(ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS), yes)
 makefiles += \
   tests/unit/libutil/local.mk \
   tests/unit/libutil-support/local.mk \
@@ -32,9 +32,14 @@ makefiles += \
   tests/unit/libstore-support/local.mk \
   tests/unit/libexpr/local.mk \
   tests/unit/libexpr-support/local.mk
+else
+.PHONY: check
+check:
+	@echo "Unit tests are disabled. Configure without '--disable-unit-tests', or avoid calling 'make check'."
+	@exit 1
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(ENABLE_TESTS), yes)
+ifeq ($(ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS), yes)
 makefiles += \
   tests/functional/local.mk \
   tests/functional/ca/local.mk \
@@ -42,8 +47,10 @@ makefiles += \
   tests/functional/test-libstoreconsumer/local.mk \
   tests/functional/plugins/local.mk
 else
-makefiles += \
-  mk/disable-tests.mk
+.PHONY: installcheck
+installcheck:
+	@echo "Functional tests are disabled. Configure without '--disable-functional-tests', or avoid calling 'make installcheck'."
+	@exit 1
 endif
 
 OPTIMIZE = 1
@@ -59,9 +66,22 @@ include mk/lib.mk
 
 # Must be included after `mk/lib.mk` so rules refer to variables defined
 # by the library. Rules are not "lazy" like variables, unfortunately.
-ifeq ($(ENABLE_BUILD), yes)
+ifeq ($(ENABLE_DOC_GEN),yes)
 $(eval $(call include-sub-makefile, doc/manual/local.mk))
+else
+.PHONY: manual-html manpages
+manual-html manpages:
+	@echo "Generated docs are disabled. Configure without '--disable-doc-gen', or avoid calling 'make manpages' and 'make manual-html'."
+	@exit 1
 endif
+
+ifeq ($(ENABLE_INTERNAL_API_DOCS),yes)
 $(eval $(call include-sub-makefile, doc/internal-api/local.mk))
+else
+.PHONY: internal-api-html
+internal-api-html:
+	@echo "Internal API docs are disabled. Configure with '--enable-internal-api-docs', or avoid calling 'make internal-api-html'."
+	@exit 1
+endif
 
 GLOBAL_CXXFLAGS += -g -Wall -include $(buildprefix)config.h -std=c++2a -I src
diff --git a/Makefile.config.in b/Makefile.config.in
index c85e028c2..21a9f41ec 100644
--- a/Makefile.config.in
+++ b/Makefile.config.in
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@ CXXFLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@
 CXXLTO = @CXXLTO@
 EDITLINE_LIBS = @EDITLINE_LIBS@
 ENABLE_BUILD = @ENABLE_BUILD@
+ENABLE_DOC_GEN = @ENABLE_DOC_GEN@
+ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS = @ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS@
+ENABLE_INTERNAL_API_DOCS = @ENABLE_INTERNAL_API_DOCS@
 ENABLE_S3 = @ENABLE_S3@
-ENABLE_TESTS = @ENABLE_TESTS@
+ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS = @ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS@
 GTEST_LIBS = @GTEST_LIBS@
 HAVE_LIBCPUID = @HAVE_LIBCPUID@
 HAVE_SECCOMP = @HAVE_SECCOMP@
@@ -36,12 +39,10 @@ checkbindir = @checkbindir@
 checklibdir = @checklibdir@
 datadir = @datadir@
 datarootdir = @datarootdir@
-doc_generate = @doc_generate@
 docdir = @docdir@
 embedded_sandbox_shell = @embedded_sandbox_shell@
 exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
 includedir = @includedir@
-internal_api_docs = @internal_api_docs@
 libdir = @libdir@
 libexecdir = @libexecdir@
 localstatedir = @localstatedir@
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a949f9df2..1bc4f17b0 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -138,20 +138,38 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(build, AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-build],[Do not build nix]),
   ENABLE_BUILD=$enableval, ENABLE_BUILD=yes)
 AC_SUBST(ENABLE_BUILD)
 
-# Building without tests is useful for bootstrapping with a smaller footprint
+# Building without unit tests is useful for bootstrapping with a smaller footprint
 # or running the tests in a separate derivation. Otherwise, we do compile and
 # run them.
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(tests, AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-tests],[Do not build the tests]),
-  ENABLE_TESTS=$enableval, ENABLE_TESTS=yes)
-AC_SUBST(ENABLE_TESTS)
 
-# Building without API docs is the default as Nix' C++ interfaces are internal and unstable.
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(internal_api_docs, AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-internal-api-docs],[Build API docs for Nix's internal unstable C++ interfaces]),
-  internal_api_docs=$enableval, internal_api_docs=no)
-AC_SUBST(internal_api_docs)
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(unit-tests, AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-unit-tests],[Do not build the tests]),
+  ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS=$enableval, ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS=$ENABLE_BUILD)
+AC_SUBST(ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS)
 
 AS_IF(
-  [test "$ENABLE_BUILD" == "yes" || test "$ENABLE_TEST" == "yes"],
+  [test "$ENABLE_BUILD" == "no" && test "$ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS" == "yes"],
+  [AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot enable unit tests when building overall is disabled. Please do not pass '--enable-unit-tests' or do not pass '--disable-build'.])])
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(functional-tests, AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-functional-tests],[Do not build the tests]),
+  ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS=$enableval, ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS=yes)
+AC_SUBST(ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS)
+
+# documentation generation switch
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(doc-gen, AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-doc-gen],[disable documentation generation]),
+  ENABLE_DOC_GEN=$enableval, ENABLE_DOC_GEN=$ENABLE_BUILD)
+AC_SUBST(ENABLE_DOC_GEN)
+
+AS_IF(
+  [test "$ENABLE_BUILD" == "no" && test "$ENABLE_GENERATED_DOCS" == "yes"],
+  [AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot enable generated docs when building overall is disabled. Please do not pass '--enable-doc-gen' or do not pass '--disable-build'.])])
+
+# Building without API docs is the default as Nix' C++ interfaces are internal and unstable.
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(internal-api-docs, AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-internal-api-docs],[Build API docs for Nix's internal unstable C++ interfaces]),
+  ENABLE_INTERNAL_API_DOCS=$enableval, ENABLE_INTERNAL_API_DOCS=no)
+AC_SUBST(ENABLE_INTERNAL_API_DOCS)
+
+AS_IF(
+  [test "$ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS" == "yes" || test "$ENABLE_DOC_GEN" == "yes"],
   [NEED_PROG(jq, jq)])
 
 AS_IF([test "$ENABLE_BUILD" == "yes"],[
@@ -317,7 +335,7 @@ if test "$gc" = yes; then
   AC_DEFINE(HAVE_BOEHMGC, 1, [Whether to use the Boehm garbage collector.])
 fi
 
-AS_IF([test "$ENABLE_TESTS" == "yes"],[
+AS_IF([test "$ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS" == "yes"],[
 
 # Look for gtest.
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GTEST], [gtest_main])
@@ -349,11 +367,6 @@ AC_LANG_POP(C++)
 # Look for nlohmann/json.
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([NLOHMANN_JSON], [nlohmann_json >= 3.9])
 
-# documentation generation switch
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(doc-gen, AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-doc-gen],[disable documentation generation]),
-  doc_generate=$enableval, doc_generate=yes)
-AC_SUBST(doc_generate)
-
 
 # Look for lowdown library.
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LOWDOWN], [lowdown >= 0.9.0], [CXXFLAGS="$LOWDOWN_CFLAGS $CXXFLAGS"])
diff --git a/doc/internal-api/local.mk b/doc/internal-api/local.mk
index 890f341b7..bf2c4dede 100644
--- a/doc/internal-api/local.mk
+++ b/doc/internal-api/local.mk
@@ -1,19 +1,7 @@
-.PHONY: internal-api-html
-
-ifeq ($(internal_api_docs), yes)
-
 $(docdir)/internal-api/html/index.html $(docdir)/internal-api/latex: $(d)/doxygen.cfg
 	mkdir -p $(docdir)/internal-api
 	{ cat $< ; echo "OUTPUT_DIRECTORY=$(docdir)/internal-api" ; } | doxygen -
 
 # Generate the HTML API docs for Nix's unstable internal interfaces.
+.PHONY: internal-api-html
 internal-api-html: $(docdir)/internal-api/html/index.html
-
-else
-
-# Make a nicer error message
-internal-api-html:
-	@echo "Internal API docs are disabled. Configure with '--enable-internal-api-docs', or avoid calling 'make internal-api-html'."
-	@exit 1
-
-endif
diff --git a/doc/manual/local.mk b/doc/manual/local.mk
index 456000d3d..b77168885 100644
--- a/doc/manual/local.mk
+++ b/doc/manual/local.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-ifeq ($(doc_generate),yes)
-
 # The version of Nix used to generate the doc. Can also be
 # `$(nix_INSTALL_PATH)` or just `nix` (to grap ambient from the `PATH`),
 # if one prefers.
@@ -180,6 +178,8 @@ manual-html: $(docdir)/manual/index.html
 install: $(docdir)/manual/index.html
 
 # Generate 'nix' manpages.
+.PHONY: manpages
+manpages: $(mandir)/man1/nix3-manpages
 install: $(mandir)/man1/nix3-manpages
 man: doc/manual/generated/man1/nix3-manpages
 all: doc/manual/generated/man1/nix3-manpages
@@ -225,5 +225,3 @@ $(docdir)/manual/index.html: $(MANUAL_SRCS) $(d)/book.toml $(d)/anchors.jq $(d)/
 	@rm -rf $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/manual
 	@mv $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/manual.tmp/html $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/manual
 	@rm -rf $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/manual.tmp
-
-endif
diff --git a/doc/manual/src/contributing/hacking.md b/doc/manual/src/contributing/hacking.md
index 421ac981c..9478c424d 100644
--- a/doc/manual/src/contributing/hacking.md
+++ b/doc/manual/src/contributing/hacking.md
@@ -67,9 +67,10 @@ You can also build Nix for one of the [supported platforms](#platforms).
 ## Makefile variables
 
 - `ENABLE_BUILD=yes` to enable building the C++ code.
-- `ENABLE_TESTS=yes` to enable building the tests.
+- `ENABLE_DOC_GEN=yes` to enable building the documentation (manual, man pages, etc.).
+- `ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS=yes` to enable building the functional tests.
+- `ENABLE_UNIT_TESTS=yes` to enable building the unit tests.
 - `OPTIMIZE=1` to enable optimizations.
-- `doc_generate=yes` to enable building the documentation (manual, man pages, etc.).
 
   The docs can take a while to build, so you may want to disable this for local development.
 
diff --git a/doc/manual/src/installation/prerequisites-source.md b/doc/manual/src/installation/prerequisites-source.md
index d4babf1ea..807e82517 100644
--- a/doc/manual/src/installation/prerequisites-source.md
+++ b/doc/manual/src/installation/prerequisites-source.md
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     This is an optional dependency and can be disabled
     by providing a `--disable-cpuid` to the `configure` script.
 
-  - Unless `./configure --disable-tests` is specified, GoogleTest (GTest) and
+  - Unless `./configure --disable-unit-tests` is specified, GoogleTest (GTest) and
     RapidCheck are required, which are available at
     <https://google.github.io/googletest/> and
     <https://github.com/emil-e/rapidcheck> respectively.
diff --git a/mk/disable-tests.mk b/mk/disable-tests.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index f72f84412..000000000
--- a/mk/disable-tests.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-# This file is only active for `./configure --disable-tests`.
-# Running `make check` or `make installcheck` would indicate a mistake in the
-# caller.
-
-installcheck:
-	@echo "Tests are disabled. Configure without '--disable-tests', or avoid calling 'make installcheck'."
-	@exit 1
-
-# This currently has little effect.
-check:
-	@echo "Tests are disabled. Configure without '--disable-tests', or avoid calling 'make check'."
-	@exit 1
diff --git a/package.nix b/package.nix
index 24395b484..370820c40 100644
--- a/package.nix
+++ b/package.nix
@@ -104,30 +104,6 @@ let
     inherit doBuild doCheck doInstallCheck;
   };
 
-  filesets = {
-    baseFiles = fileset.fileFilter (f: f.name != ".gitignore") ./.;
-
-    configureFiles = fileset.unions [
-      ./.version
-      ./configure.ac
-      ./m4
-      # TODO: do we really need README.md? It doesn't seem used in the build.
-      ./README.md
-    ];
-
-    topLevelBuildFiles = fileset.unions [
-      ./local.mk
-      ./Makefile
-      ./Makefile.config.in
-      ./mk
-    ];
-
-    functionalTestFiles = fileset.unions [
-      ./tests/functional
-      (fileset.fileFilter (f: lib.strings.hasPrefix "nix-profile" f.name) ./scripts)
-    ];
-  };
-
   mkDerivation =
     if withCoverageChecks
     then
@@ -151,32 +127,44 @@ mkDerivation (finalAttrs: let
   # to be run later, requiresthe unit tests to be built.
   buildUnitTests = doCheck || installUnitTests;
 
-  anySortOfTesting = buildUnitTests || doInstallCheck;
-
 in {
   inherit pname version;
 
   src =
     let
-
+      baseFiles = fileset.fileFilter (f: f.name != ".gitignore") ./.;
     in
       fileset.toSource {
         root = ./.;
-        fileset = fileset.intersect filesets.baseFiles (fileset.unions ([
-          filesets.configureFiles
-          filesets.topLevelBuildFiles
-          ./doc/internal-api
+        fileset = fileset.intersect baseFiles (fileset.unions ([
+          # For configure
+          ./.version
+          ./configure.ac
+          ./m4
+          # TODO: do we really need README.md? It doesn't seem used in the build.
+          ./README.md
+          # For make, regardless of what we are building
+          ./local.mk
+          ./Makefile
+          ./Makefile.config.in
+          ./mk
+          (fileset.fileFilter (f: lib.strings.hasPrefix "nix-profile" f.name) ./scripts)
         ] ++ lib.optionals doBuild [
           ./boehmgc-coroutine-sp-fallback.diff
           ./doc
           ./misc
           ./precompiled-headers.h
           ./src
-          ./tests/unit
           ./COPYING
           ./scripts/local.mk
-        ] ++ lib.optionals anySortOfTesting [
-          filesets.functionalTestFiles
+        ] ++ lib.optionals buildUnitTests [
+          ./doc/manual
+        ] ++ lib.optionals enableInternalAPIDocs [
+          ./doc/internal-api
+        ] ++ lib.optionals buildUnitTests [
+          ./tests/unit
+        ] ++ lib.optionals doInstallCheck [
+          ./tests/functional
         ]));
       };
 
@@ -277,7 +265,8 @@ in {
   configureFlags = [
     "--sysconfdir=/etc"
     (lib.enableFeature doBuild "build")
-    (lib.enableFeature anySortOfTesting "tests")
+    (lib.enableFeature buildUnitTests "unit-tests")
+    (lib.enableFeature doInstallCheck "functional-tests")
     (lib.enableFeature enableInternalAPIDocs "internal-api-docs")
     (lib.enableFeature enableManual "doc-gen")
     (lib.enableFeature installUnitTests "install-unit-tests")
@@ -310,10 +299,7 @@ in {
   '';
 
   postInstall = lib.optionalString doBuild (
-    ''
-      mkdir -p $doc/nix-support
-      echo "doc manual $doc/share/doc/nix/manual" >> $doc/nix-support/hydra-build-products
-    '' + lib.optionalString stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic ''
+    lib.optionalString stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic ''
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
       echo "file binary-dist $out/bin/nix" >> $out/nix-support/hydra-build-products
     '' + lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin ''
@@ -322,7 +308,10 @@ in {
       $out/lib/libboost_context.dylib \
       $out/lib/libnixutil.dylib
     ''
-  ) + lib.optionalString enableInternalAPIDocs ''
+  ) + lib.optionalString enableManual ''
+    mkdir -p ''${!outputDoc}/nix-support
+    echo "doc manual ''${!outputDoc}/share/doc/nix/manual" >> ''${!outputDoc}/nix-support/hydra-build-products
+  '' + lib.optionalString enableInternalAPIDocs ''
     mkdir -p ''${!outputDoc}/nix-support
     echo "doc internal-api-docs $out/share/doc/nix/internal-api/html" >> ''${!outputDoc}/nix-support/hydra-build-products
   '';