--- libcinnamon-desktop/meson.build
+++ libcinnamon-desktop/meson.build
@@ -81,31 +81,35 @@ if pnp_ids_install_internal
   )
 endif
 
-cdesktop_gir = gnome.generate_gir(libcinnamon_desktop,
-  sources: 'cdesktop-enums.h',
-  namespace: 'CDesktopEnums',
-  nsversion: '3.0',
-  identifier_prefix: 'CDesktop',
-  symbol_prefix: 'c_desktop',
-  extra_args: [
-    '-DGNOME_DESKTOP_USE_UNSTABLE_API',
-  ],
-  install: true,
-)
+with_introspection = get_option('introspection')
 
-gnome.generate_gir(libcinnamon_desktop,
-  sources: libcinnamon_desktop_gir_sources + libcinnamon_desktop_headers,
-  namespace: 'CinnamonDesktop',
-  nsversion: '3.0',
-  export_packages: 'cinnamon-desktop',
-  identifier_prefix: 'Gnome',
-  symbol_prefix: 'gnome_',
-  includes: ['GObject-2.0', 'Gtk-3.0', cdesktop_gir[0], ],
-  extra_args: [
-    '-DGNOME_DESKTOP_USE_UNSTABLE_API',
-  ],
-  install: true,
-)
+if with_introspection
+  cdesktop_gir = gnome.generate_gir(libcinnamon_desktop,
+    sources: 'cdesktop-enums.h',
+    namespace: 'CDesktopEnums',
+    nsversion: '3.0',
+    identifier_prefix: 'CDesktop',
+    symbol_prefix: 'c_desktop',
+    extra_args: [
+      '-DGNOME_DESKTOP_USE_UNSTABLE_API',
+    ],
+    install: true,
+  )
+
+  gnome.generate_gir(libcinnamon_desktop,
+    sources: libcinnamon_desktop_gir_sources + libcinnamon_desktop_headers,
+    namespace: 'CinnamonDesktop',
+    nsversion: '3.0',
+    export_packages: 'cinnamon-desktop',
+    identifier_prefix: 'Gnome',
+    symbol_prefix: 'gnome_',
+    includes: ['GObject-2.0', 'Gtk-3.0', cdesktop_gir[0], ],
+    extra_args: [
+      '-DGNOME_DESKTOP_USE_UNSTABLE_API',
+    ],
+    install: true,
+  )
+endif
 
 # FIXME
 # https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/1687
--- libcvc/meson.build
+++ libcvc/meson.build
@@ -44,18 +44,20 @@ libcvc = shared_library('cvc',
   version: '0.0.0',
 )
 
-gnome.generate_gir(libcvc,
-  sources: libcvc_gir_sources + libcvc_headers,
-  namespace: 'Cvc',
-  nsversion: '1.0',
-  identifier_prefix: 'Gvc',
-  symbol_prefix: 'gvc_',
-  includes: [
-    'GObject-2.0',
-    'Gio-2.0',
-  ],
-  install: true,
-)
+if get_option('introspection')
+  gnome.generate_gir(libcvc,
+    sources: libcvc_gir_sources + libcvc_headers,
+    namespace: 'Cvc',
+    nsversion: '1.0',
+    identifier_prefix: 'Gvc',
+    symbol_prefix: 'gvc_',
+    includes: [
+      'GObject-2.0',
+      'Gio-2.0',
+    ],
+    install: true,
+  )
+endif
 
 
 install_headers(
--- meson_options.txt
+++ meson_options.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 option('deprecation-flags', type: 'boolean', value: true)
 option('pnp-ids-path',      type: 'string',  value: '')
 option('use-alsa',          type: 'boolean', value: false)
+option('introspection',		type: 'boolean', value: true)