diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 078472940..d600cd1be 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ option('rpi-awb-nn',
         value : 'auto',
         description : 'Enable the Raspberry Pi Neural Network AWB algorithm')
 
+option('softisp-debayer-egl',
+        type : 'feature',
+        value : 'auto',
+        description : 'Enable OpenGL ES based debayering in the software ISP')
+
 option('test',
         type : 'boolean',
         value : false,
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/meson.build b/src/libcamera/software_isp/meson.build
index cbcd3c1b3..754a0d2d9 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/meson.build
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/meson.build
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ if not softisp_enabled
     subdir_done()
 endif
 
-libegl = dependency('egl', required : false)
-libglesv2 = dependency('glesv2', required : false)
-mesa_works = cc.check_header('EGL/egl.h', required : false, dependencies : libegl)
+libegl = dependency('egl', required : get_option('softisp-debayer-egl'))
+libglesv2 = dependency('glesv2', required : get_option('softisp-debayer-egl'))
+mesa_works = cc.check_header('EGL/egl.h',
+                             required : get_option('softisp-debayer-egl'),
+                             dependencies : libegl)
 
 summary({'SoftISP GPU acceleration' : mesa_works}, section : 'Configuration')