diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index cd2b02488b..36ed7a47be 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ relative_source_path = run_command('realpath',
                                    project_source_root).stdout().strip()
 conf.set_quoted('RELATIVE_SOURCE_PATH', relative_source_path)
 
+conf.set10('DEVELOPER_MODE', get_option('mode') == 'developer',
+           description : 'enable additional checks only suitable in development')
+
 want_ossfuzz = get_option('oss-fuzz')
 want_libfuzzer = get_option('llvm-fuzz')
 if want_ossfuzz + want_libfuzzer > 1
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index fd73d5e681..1ad0969a1a 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 option('version-tag', type : 'string',
        description : 'override the git version string')
 
+option('mode', type : 'combo', choices : ['default', 'developer'],
+       description : 'enable additional checks suitable for systemd development')
+
 option('split-usr', type : 'combo', choices : ['auto', 'true', 'false'],
        description : '''/bin, /sbin aren't symlinks into /usr''')
 option('split-bin', type : 'combo', choices : ['auto', 'true', 'false'],