diff --git a/CONF.sh b/CONF.sh
index 5ea8cceb..7c392a57 100644
--- a/CONF.sh
+++ b/CONF.sh
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ unset MAXCDS            || true
 unset SPLASHPNG         || true
 unset OMIT_MANUAL	 || true
 unset OMIT_RELEASE_NOTES || true
+unset OMIT_DOC_TOOLS     || true
 
 # The debian-cd dir
 # Where I am (hoping I'm in the debian-cd dir)
@@ -303,6 +304,11 @@ done
 # If so we will link to them on the web site.
 export OMIT_RELEASE_NOTES=1
 
+# Set to 1 to not include the doc/tools directories on CD1
+# Useful to save space and avoids failures if you have a mirror
+# without those directories.
+#export OMIT_DOC_TOOLS=1
+
 # Set this to override the default location
 #export RELEASE_NOTES_LOCATION="http://www.debian.org/releases/$CODENAME"
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 021471c4..b4c23e88 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -106,19 +106,6 @@ endif
 		fi; \
 	fi
 
-## BOOT & DOC & INSTALL ##
-
-# Basic checks
-$(MIRROR)/doc: need-complete-mirror
-$(MIRROR)/tools: need-complete-mirror
-need-complete-mirror:
-	@# Why the hell is this needed ??
-	@if [ ! -d $(MIRROR)/doc -o ! -d $(MIRROR)/tools ]; then \
-	    echo "You need a Debian mirror with the doc, tools and"; \
-	    echo "indices directories ! "; \
-	    exit 1; \
-	fi
-
 ## INITIALIZATION ##
 
 # Creation of the directories needed
diff --git a/debian/CONF.sh b/debian/CONF.sh
index 5ea8cceb..dc116d29 100644
--- a/debian/CONF.sh
+++ b/debian/CONF.sh
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ unset MAXCDS            || true
 unset SPLASHPNG         || true
 unset OMIT_MANUAL	 || true
 unset OMIT_RELEASE_NOTES || true
+unset OMIT_DOC_TOOLS     || true
 
 # The debian-cd dir
 # Where I am (hoping I'm in the debian-cd dir)
@@ -303,6 +304,11 @@ done
 # If so we will link to them on the web site.
 export OMIT_RELEASE_NOTES=1
 
+# Set to 1 to not include the doc/tools directories on CD1
+# Useful to save space and avoids failures if you have a mirror
+# without those directories.
+#export OMIT_DOC_TOOLS=1
+
 # Set this to override the default location
 #export RELEASE_NOTES_LOCATION="http://www.debian.org/releases/$CODENAME"
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index eea48876..5b7063f6 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ debian-cd (3.0.4) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * Make sure we include laptop-detect on arches that are know to have
     laptops (i386, amd64 and powerpc).
   * Make sure we include grub-pc since it's used when GPT disk label is
-    choosen.
+    chosen.
 
   [ Steve McIntyre ]
   * Fix a bug in start_new_disc - cope with MAXCDS not being set.
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ debian-cd (3.0.4) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     from Debian. Closes: #468850
   * Add Vcs-Browser field.
   * If genisomage is not available, try to fallback on mkisofs.
+  * New OMIT_DOC_TOOLS option to be able to work with mirrors that do not
+    contain the doc and tools directories.
 
  -- Otavio Salvador <otavio@ossystems.com.br>  Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:27:58 -0200
 
diff --git a/tools/add-bin-doc b/tools/add-bin-doc
index ac51aefa..d43d93f3 100755
--- a/tools/add-bin-doc
+++ b/tools/add-bin-doc
@@ -23,7 +23,16 @@ if [ "$OMIT_MANUAL"x = ""x ] ; then
 fi
 
 dir=$BDIR/CD$DISK
-cp -pdf $MIRROR/README* $dir/ 
+for file in $MIRROR/README*; do
+	if [ -e $file ]; then
+		cp -pdf $file $dir/ 
+	else
+		echo "ERROR: no README* files in the mirror $MIRROR"
+		if [ "$OMIT_DOC_TOOLS" != "1" ]; then
+			exit 1
+		fi
+	fi
+done
 
 if [ -f $dir/doc/dedication-$DEBMAINVER.txt ]; then
 	mv $dir/doc/dedication-$DEBMAINVER.txt $dir/dedication.txt
diff --git a/tools/start_new_disc b/tools/start_new_disc
index 15c37d31..3c001f82 100755
--- a/tools/start_new_disc
+++ b/tools/start_new_disc
@@ -109,14 +109,16 @@ if [ $SOURCEDISK = 1 ] ; then
 fi
 
 if [ $DISKNUM = 1 ] ; then
-	if [ ! -e $MIRROR/tools ] || [ ! -e $MIRROR/doc ] ; then
-		echo "You need a Debian mirror with the doc, tools and"
-        echo "indices directories ! "
-        exit 1
+	if [ "$OMIT_DOC_TOOLS" != "1" ]; then
+		if [ ! -e $MIRROR/tools ] || [ ! -e $MIRROR/doc ]; then
+			echo "You need a Debian mirror with the doc, tools and"
+			echo "indices directories ! "
+			exit 1
+		fi
 	fi
 		
 	# Add install stuff
-	if [ "$SOURCEONLY"x != "yes"x ] ; then
+	if [ "$SOURCEONLY"x != "yes"x ] && [ "$OMIT_DOC_TOOLS" != "1" ]; then
 		echo "  Adding tools to CD1"
 		$BASEDIR/tools/add_files $CDDIR $MIRROR tools
 	fi
@@ -214,19 +216,21 @@ if [ $DISKNUM = 1 ] ; then
 		fi
 	done
 
-	echo "  Adding docs to CD1"
-    $BASEDIR/tools/add_files $CDDIR $MIRROR doc
-    find $CDDIR/doc -name "dedication-*" | grep -v "$DEBVERSION" | xargs rm -f
-    find $CDDIR/doc -name "debian-keyring.tar.gz" | xargs rm -f
+	if [ "$OMIT_DOC_TOOLS" != "1" ]; then
+		echo "  Adding docs to CD1"
+		$BASEDIR/tools/add_files $CDDIR $MIRROR doc
+		find $CDDIR/doc -name "dedication-*" | grep -v "$DEBVERSION" | xargs rm -f
+		find $CDDIR/doc -name "debian-keyring.tar.gz" | xargs rm -f
 
-	if [ ! -e $CDDIR/doc/FAQ/html ] ; then
-		echo "  Extracting FAQ on CD1"
-		mkdir $CDDIR/doc/FAQ/html
-		cd $CDDIR/doc/FAQ/html
-		if [ -e "../debian-faq.en.html.tar.gz" ] ; then
-			tar xzf ../debian-faq.en.html.tar.gz
-		else
-			tar xzf ../debian-faq.html.tar.gz
+		if [ ! -e $CDDIR/doc/FAQ/html ] ; then
+			echo "  Extracting FAQ on CD1"
+			mkdir $CDDIR/doc/FAQ/html
+			cd $CDDIR/doc/FAQ/html
+			if [ -e "../debian-faq.en.html.tar.gz" ] ; then
+				tar xzf ../debian-faq.en.html.tar.gz
+			else
+				tar xzf ../debian-faq.html.tar.gz
+			fi
 		fi
 	fi