diff --git a/man/meson.build b/man/meson.build
index 48312c9..289ddec 100644
--- a/man/meson.build
+++ b/man/meson.build
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 mans = ['compton.1', 'compton-trans.1']
-a2x = find_program('a2x')
-foreach m : mans
-	custom_target(m, output: [m], input: [m+'.asciidoc'],
-	              command: [a2x, '--format', 'manpage', '@INPUT@',
-	                        '-D', meson.current_build_dir()],
-	              install: true, install_dir: 'share/man/man1/')
-endforeach
+if get_option('build_docs')
+	a2x = find_program('a2x')
+	foreach m : mans
+		custom_target(m, output: [m], input: [m+'.asciidoc'],
+		              command: [a2x, '--format', 'manpage', '@INPUT@',
+		                        '-D', meson.current_build_dir()],
+		              install: true, install_dir: 'share/man/man1/')
+	endforeach
+endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 8855fb8..7748df6 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -9,3 +9,5 @@ option('opengl', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable features tha
 option('dbus', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable suport for D-Bus remote control')
 
 option('xrescheck', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'Enable X resource leak checker (for debug only)')
+
+option('build_docs', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'Build documentation and man pages')