diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 7fa00bc52..3012b38d5 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -285,10 +285,14 @@ cdata.set('HAVE_DBUS', dbus_dep.found())
 sdl_dep = dependency('sdl2', required : get_option('sdl2'))
 summary({'SDL2 (video examples)': sdl_dep.found()}, bool_yn: true, section: 'Misc dependencies')
 drm_dep = dependency('libdrm', required : false)
-readline_dep = dependency('readline', required : get_option('readline'))
 
-if not readline_dep.found()
-  readline_dep = cc.find_library('readline', required : get_option('readline'))
+if get_option('readline').disabled()
+  readline_dep = dependency('', required: false)
+else
+  readline_dep = dependency('readline', required : false)
+  if not readline_dep.found()
+    readline_dep = cc.find_library('readline', required : get_option('readline'))
+  endif
 endif
 
 # Both the FFmpeg SPA plugin and the pw-cat FFmpeg integration use libavcodec.