diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 19c3639694..034c7407c7 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -316,6 +316,12 @@ if cc.has_header('execinfo.h')
   endif
 endif
 
+disable_gst_debug = get_option('disable_gst_debug')
+if get_option('disable_gst_debug')
+    cdata.set('GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG_DEFINE', '#define GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG 1')
+  add_project_arguments(['-Wno-unused'], language: 'c')
+endif
+
 configure_file(input : 'config.h.meson',
   output : 'config.h',
   configuration : cdata)
diff --git a/plugins/tracers/meson.build b/plugins/tracers/meson.build
index b66d47d345..34a90d6d9d 100644
--- a/plugins/tracers/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/tracers/meson.build
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@ gst_tracers_sources = [
   'gstleaks.c',
   'gststats.c',
   'gsttracers.c',
-  'gstlog.c'
 ]
 
+if not disable_gst_debug
+  gst_tracers_source += ['gstlog.c']
+endif
+
 if have_getrusage
   gst_tracers_sources += ['gstrusage.c']
 endif
diff --git a/tests/check/meson.build b/tests/check/meson.build
index c0c8d4dfb4..7d764ebfa7 100644
--- a/tests/check/meson.build
+++ b/tests/check/meson.build
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ core_tests = [
   [ 'gst/gstobject.c' ],
   [ 'gst/gstpad.c', not have_registry ],
   [ 'gst/gstparamspecs.c' ],
-  [ 'gst/gstprintf.c', not have_debug ],
+  [ 'gst/gstprintf.c', disable_gst_debug],
   [ 'gst/gstpipeline.c', not have_registry ],
   [ 'gst/gstpoll.c' ],
   [ 'gst/gstplugin.c', not have_registry ],