diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index badace151bb62bc9..e9e815fde366c89d 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ option('pipelines',
         choices : ['ipu3', 'raspberrypi', 'rkisp1', 'simple', 'uvcvideo', 'vimc'],
         description : 'Select which pipeline handlers to include')
 
+option('qcam',
+        type : 'feature',
+        value : 'auto',
+        description : 'Compile the qcam test application')
+
 option('test',
         type : 'boolean',
         description: 'Compile and include the tests')
diff --git a/src/qcam/meson.build b/src/qcam/meson.build
index 045db52acf26d71b..6ea886a32236d40f 100644
--- a/src/qcam/meson.build
+++ b/src/qcam/meson.build
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ qt5 = import('qt5')
 qt5_dep = dependency('qt5',
                      method : 'pkg-config',
                      modules : ['Core', 'Gui', 'Widgets'],
-                     required : false)
+                     required : get_option('qcam'))
 
 if qt5_dep.found()
     qcam_deps = [