diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index f6b6c65c5c85..12de8fa161f8 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ option('android_platform',
         value : 'generic',
         description : 'Select the Android platform to compile for')
 
+option('cam',
+        type : 'feature',
+        value : 'auto',
+        description : 'Compile the cam test application')
+
 option('documentation',
         type : 'feature',
         description : 'Generate the project documentation')
diff --git a/src/cam/meson.build b/src/cam/meson.build
index f0c08589a654..65784beda4e6 100644
--- a/src/cam/meson.build
+++ b/src/cam/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
 
-libevent = dependency('libevent_pthreads', required : false)
+libevent = dependency('libevent_pthreads', required : get_option('cam'))
 
 if not libevent.found()
-    warning('libevent_pthreads not found, \'cam\' application will not be compiled')
     subdir_done()
 endif