diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 283424ee2a..d6accde383 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ OPTION (DISABLE_DEPRECATED_GNOME "don't use deprecated gnome functions" OFF)
 # These are also settable from the command line in a similar way.
 
 SET(GNUCASH_BUILD_ID "" CACHE STRING "Overrides the GnuCash build identification (Build ID) which defaults to a description of the vcs commit from which gnucash is built. Distributions may want to insert a package management based version number instead")
+# GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS - Controls whether to generate the swig wrappers for guile and python. If not set the wrappers will only be generated when building from a git worktree, commented out here, but will be evaluated later on in this file
 
 # Check that all of the absolute install paths are inside
 # ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}. If they're not, disable binreloc as it
@@ -144,7 +145,9 @@ IF (GNC_VCS_INFO_RESULT EQUAL 0)
   ENDIF()
 ENDIF()
 
-
+# Determine whether to generate the swig wrappers.
+# By default they will only be generated when building from a git worktree
+set(GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS ${BUILDING_FROM_VCS} CACHE BOOL "Controls whether to generate the swig wrappers for guile and python. If not set the wrappers will only be generated when building from a git worktree")
 
 IF (WIN32)
   # Help Windows find the various dependencies. We assume here that the standard advice for building
@@ -273,7 +276,7 @@ ENDIF (WIN32)
 # ############################################################
 
 # SWIG
-IF(BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
+IF(GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS)
   FIND_PACKAGE (SWIG REQUIRED)
   INCLUDE (${SWIG_USE_FILE})
 ENDIF()
@@ -778,7 +781,7 @@ if (BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
 else()
     install(FILES ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/ChangeLog DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_DOCDIR})
 endif()
-dist_add_generated(ChangeLog)
+dist_add_generated (${BUILDING_FROM_VCS} ChangeLog)
 
 ############################ BEGIN MAKE DIST #################
 
diff --git a/common/CMakeLists.txt b/common/CMakeLists.txt
index f1ab34a7f6..7ee481051e 100644
--- a/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ SET(common_EXTRA_DIST
         platform.h)
 
 
-if (BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
+if (GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS)
     set (SWIG_RUNTIME_H ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/swig-runtime.h)
     # Command to generate the swig-runtime.h header
     add_custom_command (
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ if (BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
 else()
     set (SWIG_RUNTIME_H ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/swig-runtime.h)
 endif()
-dist_add_generated(swig-runtime.h)
+dist_add_generated (${GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS} swig-runtime.h)
 
 add_custom_target (swig-runtime-h DEPENDS ${SWIG_RUNTIME_H})
 
diff --git a/common/cmake_modules/GncAddSwigCommand.cmake b/common/cmake_modules/GncAddSwigCommand.cmake
index 31e1e8661a..1fc1430275 100644
--- a/common/cmake_modules/GncAddSwigCommand.cmake
+++ b/common/cmake_modules/GncAddSwigCommand.cmake
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 # Any additional parameters will be used as dependencies for this wrapper target
 macro (gnc_add_swig_guile_command _target _out_var _output _input)
 
-    if (BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
+    if (GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS)
         set(SW_CURR_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
         set(SW_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
     else()
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ macro (gnc_add_swig_guile_command _target _out_var _output _input)
     set(outfile ${SW_CURR_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR}/${_output})
     set(${_out_var} ${outfile}) # This variable is set for convenience to use in the calling CMakeLists.txt
 
-    if (BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
+    if (GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS)
         add_custom_command (
             OUTPUT ${outfile}
             DEPENDS ${_input} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/common/base-typemaps.i ${ARGN}
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ macro (gnc_add_swig_guile_command _target _out_var _output _input)
     endif()
 
     # Add the output file outfile to the dist tarball
-    dist_add_generated(${_output})
+    dist_add_generated (${GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS} ${_output})
 endmacro (gnc_add_swig_guile_command)
 
 
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ endmacro (gnc_add_swig_guile_command)
 # Any additional parameters will be used as dependencies for this wrapper target
 macro (gnc_add_swig_python_command _target _out_var _py_out_var _output _py_output _input)
 
-    if (BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
+    if (GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS)
         set(SW_CURR_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
         set(SW_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
     else()
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ macro (gnc_add_swig_python_command _target _out_var _py_out_var _output _py_outp
     set(py_outfile ${SW_CURR_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR}/${_py_output})
     set(${_py_out_var} ${py_outfile}) # This variable is set for convenience to use in the calling CMakeLists.txt
 
-    if (BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
+    if (GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS)
         set (DEFAULT_SWIG_PYTHON_FLAGS
             -python
             -Wall -Werror
@@ -98,5 +98,5 @@ macro (gnc_add_swig_python_command _target _out_var _py_out_var _output _py_outp
     endif()
 
     # Add the output files _output and _py_output to the dist tarball
-    dist_add_generated(${_output} ${_py_output})
+    dist_add_generated (${GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS} ${_output} ${_py_output})
 endmacro()
diff --git a/common/cmake_modules/MakeDistFiles.cmake b/common/cmake_modules/MakeDistFiles.cmake
index 359e2435a8..08b8c31ce7 100644
--- a/common/cmake_modules/MakeDistFiles.cmake
+++ b/common/cmake_modules/MakeDistFiles.cmake
@@ -30,54 +30,62 @@ FUNCTION(EXECUTE_PROCESS_AND_CHECK_RESULT)
     ENDIF()
 ENDFUNCTION()
 
-macro(make_target_name target source)
-    if(BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
-        set(TGT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
-        set(TGT_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
-    else()
-        set(TGT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
-        set(TGT_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
-    endif()
-
-    file(RELATIVE_PATH rel_file ${TGT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR} ${TGT_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR}/${source})
-    string(REPLACE "/" "-" target_tmp ${rel_file})
-    string(REPLACE "_" "-" target_tmp2 ${target_tmp})
-    string(REPLACE "." "-" ${target} dist-${target_tmp2})
-endmacro()
-
-# These macros can be called to add generated files (as opposed to source files)
+# These functions can be called to add generated files (as opposed to source files)
 # to the distribution tarball
-# - dist_add_configured will only add the files to the tarball. This macro
+# - dist_add_configured will only add the files to the tarball. This function
 #   should be used for files that are generated during a cmake run (for example with configure_file)
 # - dist_add_generated will add the files to the tarball and generate a dependency
-#   for each file to the dist target. This macro should be used for all files that
+#   for each file to the dist target. This function should be used for all files that
 #   will be generated during a "make" or "ninja-build" run (for example those that are
 #   the result of an add_custom_command)
-macro(dist_add_configured)
-    if(BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
-        set(CONF_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
-        set(CONF_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+#
+# Note that the files passed in these functions can still be in the source directory
+# This depends on whether or not the source is a git worktree or not and which
+# options were passed to cmake.
+# To determine this, the first parameter passed to this function should
+# be an indicator whether or not the files in the list are actually built
+# in this configuration. At the time of this writing there are two
+# cmake variables that control this, and hence can be used here:
+# BUILDING_FROM_VCS: is YES when building from a git source tree
+# GENERATE_SWIG_WRAPPERS: is YES when the swig wrappers should be built
+function (dist_add_generated_internal _needs_target _is_built)
+    if (_is_built)
+        set (DIST_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
+        set (DIST_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
     else()
-        set(CONF_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
-        set(CONF_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+        set (DIST_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
+        set (DIST_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
     endif()
 
-    set(local_generated ${dist_generated})
-    foreach(conf_file ${ARGN})
-        file(RELATIVE_PATH rel_conf ${CONF_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR} ${CONF_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR}/${conf_file})
-        list(APPEND local_generated ${rel_conf})
+    set (local_generated ${dist_generated})
+    foreach (conf_file ${ARGN})
+        file (RELATIVE_PATH rel_conf ${DIST_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR} ${DIST_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR}/${conf_file})
+        list (APPEND local_generated ${rel_conf})
     endforeach()
-    set(dist_generated ${local_generated} CACHE INTERNAL "generated files that will be included in the distribution tarball")
-endmacro()
+    set (dist_generated ${local_generated}
+        CACHE INTERNAL "generated files that will be included in the distribution tarball")
 
-macro(dist_add_generated)
-    dist_add_configured(${ARGN})
+    if (_needs_target)
+        set (local_generated_depends ${dist_generated_depends})
+        foreach (gen_file ${ARGN})
+            file (RELATIVE_PATH rel_file ${DIST_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR} ${DIST_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR}/${gen_file})
+            string (REPLACE "/" "-" target_tmp ${rel_file})
+            string (REPLACE "_" "-" target_tmp2 ${target_tmp})
+            string (REPLACE "." "-" dist_target dist-${target_tmp2})
 
-    set(local_generated_depends ${dist_generated_depends})
-    foreach(gen_file ${ARGN})
-        make_target_name(dist_target ${gen_file})
-        add_custom_target(${dist_target} DEPENDS ${TGT_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR}/${gen_file}) # Note TGT_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR trickles down from the make_target macro
-        list(APPEND local_generated_depends ${dist_target})
-    endforeach()
-    set(dist_generated_depends ${local_generated_depends} CACHE INTERNAL "global targets for generated files that will be included in the distribution tarball")
-endmacro()
+            add_custom_target (${dist_target}
+                DEPENDS ${DIST_CURRENT_BUILD_SOURCE_DIR}/${gen_file})
+            list (APPEND local_generated_depends ${dist_target})
+        endforeach()
+        set (dist_generated_depends ${local_generated_depends}
+            CACHE INTERNAL "global targets for generated files that will be included in the distribution tarball")
+    endif()
+endfunction()
+
+function (dist_add_configured _is_built)
+    dist_add_generated_internal (NO ${_is_built} ${ARGN})
+endfunction()
+
+function (dist_add_generated _is_built)
+    dist_add_generated_internal (YES ${_is_built} ${ARGN})
+endfunction()
diff --git a/doc/CMakeLists.txt b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
index a3b3e4b55b..ea29e1d45e 100644
--- a/doc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -84,6 +84,6 @@ ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(OUTPUT gnucash.1
                            -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/manpage.cmake
   )
 ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(gnucash-manpage DEPENDS gnucash.1)
-dist_add_generated(gnucash.1)
+dist_add_generated (${BUILDING_FROM_VCS} gnucash.1)
 
 INSTALL(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gnucash.1 DESTINATION  ${CMAKE_INSTALL_MANDIR}/man1)
diff --git a/libgnucash/core-utils/CMakeLists.txt b/libgnucash/core-utils/CMakeLists.txt
index f8dee6b0d7..4e21929fe6 100644
--- a/libgnucash/core-utils/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libgnucash/core-utils/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ ENDIF()
 ELSE(BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
   ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(gnc-vcs-info DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/gnc-vcs-info.h)
 ENDIF(BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
-dist_add_generated(gnc-vcs-info.h)
+dist_add_generated (${BUILDING_FROM_VCS} gnc-vcs-info.h)
 ### Compile library
 
 SET(core_utils_noinst_HEADERS
diff --git a/libgnucash/doc/design/CMakeLists.txt b/libgnucash/doc/design/CMakeLists.txt
index d2993c067c..31caf62bdc 100644
--- a/libgnucash/doc/design/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libgnucash/doc/design/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,6 +48,6 @@ if (NOT ${MAKEINFO} STREQUAL "MAKEINFO-NOTFOUND")
       )
   ENDIF()
 endif (NOT ${MAKEINFO} STREQUAL "MAKEINFO-NOTFOUND")
-dist_add_generated(gnucash-design.info)
+dist_add_generated (${BUILDING_FROM_VCS} gnucash-design.info)
 
 SET_DIST_LIST(doc_design_DIST CMakeLists.txt gnucash-design.texi ${gnucash_design_TEXINFOS})
diff --git a/po/CMakeLists.txt b/po/CMakeLists.txt
index 3069c1d859..7b142089bc 100644
--- a/po/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/po/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ IF(BUILDING_FROM_VCS)
   )
   add_custom_target (pot DEPENDS gnucash.pot)
 ENDIF()
-dist_add_generated(gnucash.pot)
+dist_add_generated (${BUILDING_FROM_VCS} gnucash.pot)
 
 ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(check-po
         COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
diff --git a/po/POTFILES.in b/po/POTFILES.in
index 73fdcc1054..bedea12c58 100644
--- a/po/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po/POTFILES.in
@@ -690,7 +690,6 @@ libgnucash/engine/SX-ttinfo.c
 libgnucash/engine/Transaction.c
 libgnucash/engine/TransLog.c
 libgnucash/gnc-module/example/gncmod-example.c
-libgnucash/gnc-module/example/gnc-plugin.example.c
 libgnucash/gnc-module/gnc-module.c
 libgnucash/gnc-module/gnc-module.scm
 libgnucash/scm/fin.scm