diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 766877319..491653e7a 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ option('udevrulesdir',
        description : 'Directory for udev rules (defaults to /lib/udev/rules.d)')
 option('bashcompletiondir',
        type : 'string',
-       description : 'Directory for bash completion files')
+       description : 'Directory for bash completion scripts ["no" disables]')
 option('zshcompletiondir',
        type : 'string',
-       description : 'Zsh completions directory')
+       description : 'Directory for zsh completion scripts ["no" disables]')
 
 # Optional features
 
diff --git a/shell-completion/bash/meson.build b/shell-completion/bash/meson.build
index b5b00f1b8..db4b00bcb 100644
--- a/shell-completion/bash/meson.build
+++ b/shell-completion/bash/meson.build
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
-aliases = [
-  'pacat',
-  'pacmd',
-  'pactl',
-  'padsp',
-  'paplay',
-  'parec',
-  'parecord',
-  'pasuspender',
-]
+if bashcompletiondir != 'no'
+  aliases = [
+    'pacat',
+    'pacmd',
+    'pactl',
+    'padsp',
+    'paplay',
+    'parec',
+    'parecord',
+    'pasuspender',
+  ]
 
-install_data('pulseaudio', install_dir : bashcompletiondir)
+  install_data('pulseaudio', install_dir : bashcompletiondir)
 
-foreach alias : aliases
-  dst = join_paths(bashcompletiondir, alias)
-  cmd = 'ln -fs @0@ $DESTDIR@1@'.format('pulseaudio', dst)
-  meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c', cmd)
-endforeach
+  foreach alias : aliases
+    dst = join_paths(bashcompletiondir, alias)
+    cmd = 'ln -fs @0@ $DESTDIR@1@'.format('pulseaudio', dst)
+    meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c', cmd)
+  endforeach
+endif
diff --git a/shell-completion/zsh/meson.build b/shell-completion/zsh/meson.build
index 88c33554f..489be569c 100644
--- a/shell-completion/zsh/meson.build
+++ b/shell-completion/zsh/meson.build
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
-install_data('_pulseaudio', install_dir : zshcompletiondir)
+if zshcompletiondir != 'no'
+  install_data('_pulseaudio', install_dir : zshcompletiondir)
+endif