diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d01adea11e..b39b4cf453 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -961,14 +961,17 @@ test(
 subdir('examples/C/glib')
 
 enable_qt = get_option('qt')
-if enable_qt
-  add_languages('cpp')
+if enable_qt != 'false'
+  qt_core_dep = dependency('QtCore', version: '>= 4', required: enable_qt == 'yes')
+  qt_dbus_dep = dependency('QtDBus', required: enable_qt == 'yes')
+  qt_network_dep = dependency('QtNetwork', required: enable_qt == 'yes')
 
-  qt_core_dep = dependency('QtCore', version: '>= 4')
-  qt_dbus_dep = dependency('QtDBus')
-  qt_network_dep = dependency('QtNetwork')
-
-  subdir('examples/C/qt')
+  # If enable_qt=='yes' we have all the dependencies. If it's 'auto', skip
+  # building the Qt examples if any dependency is missing.
+  if qt_core_dep.found() and qt_dbus_dep.found() and qt_network_dep.found()
+    add_languages('cpp')
+    subdir('examples/C/qt')
+  endif
 endif
 
 if enable_docs
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 4f796615b3..92439ac539 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -74,5 +74,5 @@ option('valgrind_suppressions', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'Use spe
 option('ld_gc', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable garbage collection of unused symbols on linking')
 option('libpsl', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Link against libpsl')
 option('crypto', type: 'combo', choices: ['nss', 'gnutls', 'null'], value: 'nss', description: 'Cryptography library to use for certificate and key operations')
-option('qt', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'enable Qt examples')
+option('qt', type: 'combo', choices: ['auto', 'true', 'false'], value: 'auto', description: 'enable Qt examples')
 option('readline', type: 'combo', choices: ['auto', 'libreadline', 'libedit', 'none'], description: 'Using readline (auto) or libedit)')