diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d02f9917965c..fc1023326ed3 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -164,6 +164,20 @@ liblttng = dependency('lttng-ust', required : get_option('tracing'))
 # are enabled.
 pipelines = get_option('pipelines')
 
+if pipelines.contains('auto')
+    host_cpu = host_machine.cpu_family()
+    if host_cpu == 'x86' or host_cpu == 'x86_64'
+        pipelines = ['ipu3']
+    elif host_cpu == 'aarch64'
+        pipelines = ['imx8-isi', 'ipu3', 'raspberrypi', 'rkisp1']
+    elif host_cpu == 'arm'
+        pipelines = ['raspberrypi']
+    endif
+
+    # Always include the simple and uvcvideo pipeline handlers.
+    pipelines += ['simple', 'uvcvideo']
+endif
+
 if get_option('test') and 'vimc' not in pipelines
     message('Enabling vimc pipeline handler to support tests')
     pipelines += ['vimc']
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 1ba6778ce257..23505805de41 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ option('lc-compliance',
 
 option('pipelines',
         type : 'array',
-        choices : ['imx8-isi', 'ipu3', 'raspberrypi', 'rkisp1', 'simple', 'uvcvideo', 'vimc'],
-        description : 'Select which pipeline handlers to include')
+        value : ['auto'],
+        choices : ['auto', 'imx8-isi', 'ipu3', 'raspberrypi', 'rkisp1', 'simple', 'uvcvideo', 'vimc'],
+        description : '''Select which pipeline handlers to build. If this is set to auto, all
+                       the pipelines applicable to the target architecture will be built.''')
 
 option('qcam',
         type : 'feature',