diff --git a/meson/release/install-cvmfs.sh b/meson/release/install-cvmfs.sh
index efc8bd63..e33aaea9 100755
--- a/meson/release/install-cvmfs.sh
+++ b/meson/release/install-cvmfs.sh
@@ -45,13 +45,11 @@ fi
 buildDir=$1
 installDir=$(realpath $2)
 testFile=$(realpath $3)
-nativeFile=$sourceDir/meson/release/native/release.ini
 echo """
 sourceDir  = $sourceDir
 buildDir   = $buildDir
 installDir = $installDir
-testFile   = $testFile
-nativeFile = $nativeFile"""
+testFile   = $testFile"""
 [ ! -f "$testFile" ] && echo "ERROR: test file does not exist" >&2 && exit 1
 print_dep_vars
 printf "\nProceed with installation? [y/N] "
@@ -68,10 +66,17 @@ esac
 
 msg "meson setup"
 meson setup $buildDir $sourceDir \
-  --native-file=$nativeFile      \
   --prefix=$installDir           \
-  -Drcdb:home=$RCDB_HOME         \
-  -Dtest_data_file=$testFile
+  -D buildtype=release           \
+  -D bind_fortran=true           \
+  -D bind_python=true            \
+  -D install_examples=true       \
+  -D z_install_envfile=false     \
+  -D z_require_root=true         \
+  -D rcdb:home=$RCDB_HOME        \
+  -D rcdb:use_mariadb=true       \
+  -D rcdb:use_sqlite=true        \
+  -D test_data_file=$testFile
 msg "meson install"
 meson install -C $buildDir
 msg "meson test"
diff --git a/meson/release/native/release.ini b/meson/release/native/release.ini
deleted file mode 100644
index fac0fc98..00000000
--- a/meson/release/native/release.ini
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-; options set for ifarm or cvmfs builds
-[built-in options]
-; core
-buildtype = 'release'
-; project options
-bind_fortran = True
-bind_python = True
-install_examples = True
-z_install_envfile = False
-z_require_root = True
diff --git a/subprojects/rcdb/meson.build b/subprojects/rcdb/meson.build
index 4ab2ffaa..bb4d838b 100644
--- a/subprojects/rcdb/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/rcdb/meson.build
@@ -18,23 +18,31 @@ else
   error(f'RCDB not found; set build option "rcdb:home" to the RCDB installation (e.g., to "$RCDB_HOME"); @require_message@')
 endif
 
-# RCDB dependencies: a database management system (DBMS), mysql and/or sqlite
+# RCDB dependencies: a database management system (DBMS), mariadb and/or sqlite
 dbms_args = []
 dbms_deps = []
 dbms_dict = {
-  'mysql':  [ 'mariadb', 'mysql', 'mysqlclient' ], # prioritizing mariadb, an open source fork of mysql
-  'sqlite': [ 'sqlite3' ],
+  'mariadb':  {
+    'use': get_option('use_mariadb'),
+    'pkgs': [ 'mariadb', 'mysql', 'mysqlclient' ], # prioritizing mariadb, an open source fork of mysql
+  },
+  'sqlite': {
+    'use': get_option('use_sqlite'),
+    'pkgs': [ 'sqlite3' ],
+  },
 }
-foreach dbms, pkgs : dbms_dict
-  foreach pkg : pkgs
-    dep = dependency(pkg, required: false)
-    if dep.found()
-      dbms_deps += dep
-      dbms_args += { 'mysql': '-DRCDB_MYSQL', 'sqlite': '-DRCDB_SQLITE' }[dbms]
-      message(f'using @pkg@ for RCDB DBMS')
-      break
-    endif
-  endforeach
+foreach dbms, info : dbms_dict
+  if info['use']
+    foreach pkg : info['pkgs']
+      dep = dependency(pkg, required: false)
+      if dep.found()
+        dbms_deps += dep
+        dbms_args += { 'mariadb': '-DRCDB_MYSQL', 'sqlite': '-DRCDB_SQLITE' }[dbms]
+        message(f'using @pkg@ for RCDB DBMS')
+        break
+      endif
+    endforeach
+  endif
 endforeach
 if dbms_deps.length() == 0
   error('none of the DBMSs (' + ', '.join(dbms_dict.keys()) + ') were found, so RCDB will not be used in this build; ' + require_message)
diff --git a/subprojects/rcdb/meson.options b/subprojects/rcdb/meson.options
index beeaa745..c6fece42 100644
--- a/subprojects/rcdb/meson.options
+++ b/subprojects/rcdb/meson.options
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
-option('home', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'Location of RCDB installation; if empty, RCDB-dependent code will not be included')
+option('home',        type: 'string',  value: '',   description: 'Location of RCDB installation; if empty, RCDB-dependent code will not be included')
+option('use_mariadb', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Use mariadb or mysql, if found on the system; set this to false to disable support for this')
+option('use_sqlite',  type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Use sqlite, if found on the system; set this to false to disable support for this')