diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 035c7c1604..55f2e43ec3 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -241,10 +241,14 @@ python3 = import('python').find_installation()
 configinc = include_directories('.')
 subdir('ges')
 subdir('plugins')
-subdir('tools')
+if not get_option('tools').disabled()
+  subdir('tools')
+endif
 subdir('pkgconfig')
 subdir('tests')
-subdir('examples')
+if not get_option('examples').disabled()
+  subdir('examples')
+endif
 subdir('docs')
 
 override_detector = '''
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 99d3577d6e..730682e512 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,20 @@
+# Common feature options
+option('doc', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield: true,
+       description: 'Enable documentation.')
+option('examples', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true,
+       description : 'Build examples')
 option('introspection', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true,
        description : 'Generate gobject-introspection bindings')
 option('tests', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true,
        description : 'Build and enable unit tests')
+option('tools', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true,
+       description : 'Build ges-launch command line tool')
+
+# GES options
 option('pygi-overrides-dir', type : 'string', value : '',
         description: 'Path to pygobject overrides directory')
 option('xptv', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description : 'Build the deprecated xptv formater')
-option('doc', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield: true,
-       description: 'Enable documentation.')
 option('python', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield: true,
        description: 'Enable python formatters.')
 option('libpython-dir', type : 'string', value : '',