diff --git a/make-includes/build_misc_rules.make b/make-includes/build_misc_rules.make
index 4e47933..f563f26 100644
--- a/make-includes/build_misc_rules.make
+++ b/make-includes/build_misc_rules.make
@@ -281,9 +281,14 @@
 # at the other end. That is, something like "images/foo.pdf" will go into
 # the installation directory as "foo.pdf", not "images/foo.pdf".
 #
+# If the variable NOSYNC is set (to anything), then files won't be synchronised
+# with Blackboard.
+#
 install: all
+ifndef NOSYNC
 	@$(LOCKFILE) -r0 $(HOME)/.sitecopy/Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER).lock && $(SITECOPY) --update --keep-going Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER) && $(RM) -f $(HOME)/.sitecopy/Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER).lock
 	@$(LOCKFILE) -r0 $(HOME)/.sitecopy/Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER).lock && $(SITECOPY) --catchup Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER) && $(RM) -f $(HOME)/.sitecopy/Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER).lock
+endif
 	@$(ANNOUNCE) "Deploying files into $(INSTALL_DIRECTORY)"
 	@$(TEST) -d $(HANDBOOK_INSTALL_ROOT)
 	@$(MKDIR_P) $(INSTALL_DIRECTORY)
@@ -295,8 +300,10 @@
 	@$(RSYNC) -rltgoDv $(INSTALL_FILES) $(INSTALL_DIRECTORY)
 endif
 	@$(RSYNC) -rltgoDv --ignore-missing-args $(foreach i,$(WEB_IMAGES),$(IMGDIR)/$(i)) $(INSTALL_DIRECTORY)/$(IMGDIR)
+ifndef NOSYNC
 	@$(ANNOUNCE) "Synchronising with Blackboard"
 	@$(LOCKFILE) -r0 $(HOME)/.sitecopy/Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER).lock && $(SITECOPY) --update Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER) && $(RM) -f $(HOME)/.sitecopy/Blackboard$(PAPER_NUMBER).lock
+endif
 
 
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