diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d3fea429cf..6be8347cc8 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -211,12 +211,13 @@ gstbase_dep = dependency('gstreamer-base-1.0', version : gst_req,
   fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_base_dep'])
 gstnet_dep = dependency('gstreamer-net-1.0', version : gst_req,
   fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_net_dep'])
-if host_system != 'windows'
-  gstcheck_dep = dependency('gstreamer-check-1.0', version : gst_req,
-    fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_check_dep'])
-endif
 gstcontroller_dep = dependency('gstreamer-controller-1.0', version : gst_req,
   fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_controller_dep'])
+if host_system != 'windows'
+  gstcheck_dep = dependency('gstreamer-check-1.0', version : gst_req,
+    required : get_option('tests'),
+    fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_check_dep'])
+endif
 
 gstpbutils_dep = dependency('gstreamer-pbutils-1.0', version : gst_req,
     fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'pbutils_dep'])
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 8c10e55ce6..a3b5cd8cac 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ option('v4l2-gudev', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Use libgud
 
 # Common feature options
 option('examples', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true)
+option('tests', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true)
 option('nls', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield: true, description : 'Enable native language support (translations)')
 option('orc', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true)
 
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index 6649601b2d..55d144fb15 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # FIXME: make check work on windows
-if host_machine.system() != 'windows'
-subdir('check')
+if host_system != 'windows'
+  if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gstcheck_dep.found()
+    subdir('check')
+  endif
 endif
 
 subdir('icles')