--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -84,11 +84,10 @@ meson.add_dist_script(srcdir / 'getversion.sh')
 optional_defines = []
 
 dl = cc.find_library('dl')
-selinux = cc.find_library('libselinux', required: false)
-if selinux.found()
-  if cc.check_header('selinux/selinux.h')
-    optional_defines += ['--define=HAVE_SELINUX']
-  endif
+selinux = cc.find_library('libselinux', required: get_option('selinux'))
+selinux_header = cc.check_header('selinux/selinux.h', required: get_option('selinux'))
+if get_option('selinux').enabled()
+  optional_defines += ['--define=HAVE_SELINUX']
 endif
 
 glib = dependency('glib-2.0', version: '>= 2.32.0')
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,8 @@ option('gtk_doc',
        type : 'boolean',
        value : false,
        description : 'use gtk-doc to build documentation')
+
+option('selinux',
+       type : 'feature',
+       value : 'auto',
+       description : 'SELinux support')