diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 53b7522b7..523099afb 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ subdir('src')
 if get_option('examples')
   subdir('examples')
 endif
-subdir('test')
+if get_option('tests')
+  subdir('test')
+endif
 if get_option('doc')
   subdir('docs')
 endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index f1bf95371..253c7739c 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ option('doc', type : 'boolean', value : false,
   description : 'Build the documentations.')
 option('examples', type : 'boolean', value : true,
   description : 'Build the examples.')
+option('tests', type : 'boolean', value : true,
+  description : 'Build the tests.')
 option('with_xapian', type : 'boolean', value: true,
   description: 'Build libzim with xapian support')
 option('test_data_dir', type : 'string', value: '',