diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index e519f306aa..89041f7b6e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ endif
 # Ordered list of subprojects (dict has no ordering guarantees)
 subprojects = [
   ['gstreamer', {'build-hotdoc': true}],
-  ['gst-plugins-base', {'build-hotdoc': true}],
-  ['gst-plugins-good', {'build-hotdoc': true}],
+  ['gst-plugins-base', {'option': get_option('base'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
+  ['gst-plugins-good', {'option': get_option('good'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['libnice', { 'option': get_option('libnice'), 'match_gst_version': false}],
   ['gst-plugins-bad', { 'option': get_option('bad'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['gst-plugins-ugly', { 'option': get_option('ugly'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index db487dd276..c285a3cff9 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 option('python', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')
 option('libav', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')
 option('libnice', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')
+option('base', type : 'feature', value : 'enabled')
+option('good', type : 'feature', value : 'enabled')
 option('ugly', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')
 option('bad', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')
 option('devtools', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')