diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index f44f05c2..eca6e0fd 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -95,12 +95,16 @@ foreach prot : [
     command: [wscanner_prog, 'private-code', '@INPUT@', '@OUTPUT@'])
 endforeach
 
-generate_unicode_precompose_sh = files('scripts/generate-unicode-precompose.sh')
-unicode_data = custom_target(
-  'unicode-data',
-  input: 'UnicodeData.txt',
-  output: 'unicode-compose-table.h',
-  command: [generate_unicode_precompose_sh, '@INPUT@', '@OUTPUT@'])
+if get_option('unicode-max-combining-chars') > 0 and get_option('unicode-precompose')
+  generate_unicode_precompose_sh = files('scripts/generate-unicode-precompose.sh')
+  unicode_data = custom_target(
+    'unicode-data',
+    input: 'UnicodeData.txt',
+    output: 'unicode-compose-table.h',
+    command: [generate_unicode_precompose_sh, '@INPUT@', '@OUTPUT@'])
+else
+  unicode_data = []
+endif
 
 generate_version_sh = files('generate-version.sh')
 version = custom_target(
diff --git a/vt.c b/vt.c
index 954896c1..29737ddc 100644
--- a/vt.c
+++ b/vt.c
@@ -527,6 +527,7 @@ action_utf8_4_entry(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c)
     term->vt.utf8.data[term->vt.utf8.idx++] = c;
 }
 
+#if FOOT_UNICODE_PRECOMPOSE
 static wchar_t
 precompose(wchar_t base, wchar_t comb)
 {
@@ -554,6 +555,7 @@ precompose(wchar_t base, wchar_t comb)
 
     return (wchar_t)-1;
 }
+#endif
 
 static void
 action_utf8_print(struct terminal *term, uint8_t c)