diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index cdb66bcb..714a86d8 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ subdir('src')
 if get_option('libraries')
 	subdir('cursor')
 	subdir('egl')
-	subdir('tests')
+	if get_option('tests')
+		subdir('tests')
+	endif
 	if get_option('documentation')
 		subdir('doc')
 	endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index de588d13..4433fa0f 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ option('scanner',
   description: 'Compile wayland-scanner binary',
   type: 'boolean',
   value: 'true')
+option('tests',
+  description: 'Compile Wayland tests',
+  type: 'boolean',
+  value: 'true')
 option('documentation',
   description: 'Build the documentation (requires Doxygen, dot, xmlto, xsltproc)',
   type: 'boolean',