diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 78cfc858..362de9f6 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -205,7 +205,9 @@ if get_option('enable-rootston')
 	subdir('rootston')
 endif
 
-subdir('examples')
+if get_option('enable-examples')
+	subdir('examples')
+endif
 
 pkgconfig = import('pkgconfig')
 pkgconfig.generate(
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index df322f39..e474b8aa 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ option('enable-xcb_errors', type: 'combo', choices: ['auto', 'true', 'false'], v
 option('enable-xwayland', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable support X11 applications')
 option('enable-x11_backend', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable X11 backend')
 option('enable-rootston', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Build the rootston example compositor')
+option('enable-examples', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Build example applications')