diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 842d296cab..462f9a32ce 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ if not get_option('validate').disabled()
   subdir('validate')
 endif
 
-if get_option('debug_viewer')
+if not get_option('debug_viewer').disabled()
   subdir('debug-viewer')
 endif
 subdir('docs')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 6d06623544..5da5abf921 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 option('validate', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description : 'Build GstValidate')
-option('debug_viewer', type : 'boolean', value : true,
-        description : 'Build GstDebugViewer')
+option('debug_viewer', type : 'feature', value : 'disabled',
+        description : 'Build GstDebugViewer (GPLv3+)')
 option('introspection', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true,
        description : 'Generate gobject-introspection bindings')
 option('tests', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true,