diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 739d942171..3d09d2991a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ endif
 
 backtrace_deps = []
 unwind_dep = dependency('libunwind', required : get_option('libunwind'))
-dw_dep = dependency('libdw', required: get_option('libunwind'))
+dw_dep = dependency('libdw', required: get_option('libdw'))
 backtrace_deps = [unwind_dep, dw_dep]
 if unwind_dep.found()
   cdata.set('HAVE_UNWIND', 1)
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index cd5bead1fb..50445af10e 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ option('memory-alignment', type: 'combo',
 # Feature options
 option('check', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Build unit test libraries')
 option('libunwind', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Use libunwind to generate backtraces')
+option('libdw', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Use libdw to generate better backtraces from libunwind')
 option('bash-completion', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Install bash completion files')
 
 # Common feature options