diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c2377b4c..49278ef7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -38,7 +38,15 @@
 
 
 ## Unreleased
+
 ### Added
+
+* `-Dtests=false|true` meson command line option. When disabled, test
+  binaries will neither be built, nor will `ninja test` attempt to
+  execute them. Enabled by default
+  (https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/919).
+
+
 ### Changed
 ### Deprecated
 ### Removed
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 81ef4f90..5f4148b1 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -283,7 +283,10 @@ endif
 
 subdir('completions')
 subdir('icons')
-subdir('tests')
+
+if (get_option('tests'))
+  subdir('tests')
+endif
 
 summary(
   {
@@ -295,6 +298,7 @@ summary(
     'Terminfo install location': terminfo_install_location,
     'Default TERM': get_option('default-terminfo'),
     'Set TERMINFO': get_option('custom-terminfo-install-location') != '',
+    'Tests': get_option('tests'),
   },
   bool_yn: true
 )
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index ccc7d5a1..255ca0ae 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ option('ime', type: 'boolean', value: true,
 option('grapheme-clustering', type: 'feature',
        description: 'Enables grapheme clustering using libutf8proc. Requires fcft with harfbuzz support to be useful.')
 
+option('tests', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Build tests')
+
 option('terminfo', type: 'feature', value: 'enabled', description: 'Build and install foot\'s terminfo files.')
 option('default-terminfo', type: 'string', value: 'foot',
        description: 'Default value of the "term" option in foot.ini.')