diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index bb3cb3c4ed..7010b91626 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ option('glib-asserts', type : 'feature', value : 'enabled', yield : true,
        description: 'Enable GLib assertion (auto = enabled for development, disabled for stable releases)')
 option('glib-checks', type : 'feature', value : 'enabled', yield : true,
        description: 'Enable GLib checks such as API guards (auto = enabled for development, disabled for stable releases)')
+option('qt5', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true, description : 'Qt5 QML examples')
 
 # Common options
 option('package-name', type : 'string', yield : true,
diff --git a/tests/examples/gl/qt/meson.build b/tests/examples/gl/qt/meson.build
index ed0a0b0bb7..66f3d93e7c 100644
--- a/tests/examples/gl/qt/meson.build
+++ b/tests/examples/gl/qt/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if get_option('qt5').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 qt5_mod = import('qt5')
 
 qt5gui_dep = dependency('qt5', modules : ['Core', 'Gui', 'Widgets'], required : false)
diff --git a/tests/examples/overlay/meson.build b/tests/examples/overlay/meson.build
index b343f65982..926e9f3d7b 100644
--- a/tests/examples/overlay/meson.build
+++ b/tests/examples/overlay/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if get_option('qt5').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 if x11_dep.found()
   if gtk_x11_dep.found()
     executable('gtk-videooverlay', 'gtk-videooverlay.c',