diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 2b140c8692..39daf5ee86 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -113,11 +113,13 @@ subprojects = [
   ['gst-plugins-rs', { 'option': get_option('rs'), 'build-hotdoc': true, 'match_gst_version': false}],
 ]
 
-if build_system == 'windows'
-  subproject('win-flex-bison-binaries')
-  subproject('win-nasm')
-elif build_system == 'darwin'
-  subproject('macos-bison-binary')
+if get_option('build-tools-source') == 'subproject'
+  if build_system == 'windows'
+    subproject('win-flex-bison-binaries')
+    subproject('win-nasm')
+  elif build_system == 'darwin'
+    subproject('macos-bison-binary')
+  endif
 endif
 
 orc_option = get_option('orc')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index f0b039bc03..273f8767f9 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ option('gst-full-device-providers', type : 'string', value : '',
 option('gst-full-dynamic-types', type : 'string', value : '',
   description : '''List of dynamic types to expose in gstreamer-full's ABI with the syntax plugin:dt1,dt2. By default '' will export all device provider of the enabled plugin.''')
 option('orc-source', type: 'combo', choices: ['system', 'subproject', 'auto'], value: 'subproject')
+option('build-tools-source', type: 'combo', choices: ['system', 'subproject'], value: 'subproject')
 
 # License-related feature options
 option('gpl', type: 'feature', value: 'disabled',