diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d1c278b97d5a69a03446374166869cf2d419a1ab..80b1df3f9eca4bb3c2a3f4836e65596350002cc6 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -10,9 +10,12 @@ project('EMPER', 'c', 'cpp',
 
 thread_dep = dependency('threads')
 
+conf_data = configuration_data()
+use_bundled_deps = get_option('use_bundled_deps')
+
 liburing_version = '2.0'
-uring_dep = dependency('liburing', version: liburing_version, required: false)
-if not uring_dep.found()
+uring_dep = dependency('liburing', version: liburing_version, required: use_bundled_deps == 'never')
+if not uring_dep.found() or use_bundled_deps == 'always'
 	message('liburing ' + liburing_version + ' not found in system, using liburing subproject')
 	liburing_sp = subproject('liburing')
 	uring_dep = liburing_sp.get_variable('uring').as_system()
@@ -32,7 +35,6 @@ tools_dir = join_paths(meson.source_root(), 'tools')
 run_target('iwyu',
 		   command: join_paths(tools_dir, 'check-iwyu'))
 
-conf_data = configuration_data()
 option_urcu = get_option('userspace_rcu')
 conf_data.set('EMPER_LIBURCU', option_urcu)
 if option_urcu
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 3cced4d588766dbbefb40d9c2b94e7d68bd81f44..96b76c34be3435f7737a42e7b4523b7811d2f014 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+option(
+  'use_bundled_deps',
+  type: 'combo',
+  choices: ['automatic', 'always', 'never'],
+  description: 'Control when the bundled dependencies are used',
+  value: 'automatic',
+)
 option(
   'userspace_rcu',
   type: 'boolean',
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index 8204a0b7602990d0d968049febcfdb84f7ebaff4..c1d0d09a2aee9f1cb30a7367dad830a892b685fb 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -133,10 +133,10 @@ parallel_ok = (not io_uring_enabled)
 
 # Meson integration for GTest and GMock
 # See https://mesonbuild.com/Dependencies.html#gtest-and-gmock
-gtest_dep = dependency('gtest', main: true, required: false)
+gtest_dep = dependency('gtest', main: true, required: use_bundled_deps == 'never')
 # If gtest is not available on the system use the meson wrap provided
 # by WrapDB and build it ourself
-if not gtest_dep.found()
+if not gtest_dep.found() or use_bundled_deps == 'always'
 	gtest_sp = subproject('gtest')
 	gtest_dep = gtest_sp.get_variable('gtest_main_dep')
 endif