diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 5f57990..af9a7d3 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -40,7 +40,12 @@ wayland_server = dependency('wayland-server')
 xkbcommon      = dependency('xkbcommon')
 math           = cc.find_library('m')
 
-have_xwayland = wlroots.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'have_xwayland', internal: 'have_xwayland') == 'true'
+xwayland_opt = get_option('xwayland')
+_wlroots_has_xwayland = wlroots.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'have_xwayland', internal: 'have_xwayland') == 'true'
+if xwayland_opt.enabled() and not _wlroots_has_xwayland
+  error('wlroots was built without XWayland support')
+endif
+have_xwayland = _wlroots_has_xwayland and not xwayland_opt.disabled()
 
 version = '@0@'.format(meson.project_version())
 git = find_program('git', native: true, required: false)
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index e40a23d..62452b3 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 option('man-pages', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Generate and install man pages')
+option('xwayland', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Enable XWayland support')