diff --git a/doc/meson.build b/doc/meson.build
index 067a03e5c..630a25d20 100644
--- a/doc/meson.build
+++ b/doc/meson.build
@@ -1,37 +1,41 @@
 install_man(['mpd.1', 'mpd.conf.5'])
 
+if not get_option('html_manual')
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 sphinx = find_program('sphinx-build', required: get_option('documentation'))
 if not sphinx.found()
   subdir_done()
 endif
 
-sphinx_output = custom_target(
-  'HTML documentation',
-  output: 'html',
-  input: [
-    'index.rst', 'user.rst', 'developer.rst',
-    'plugins.rst',
-    'protocol.rst',
-    'conf.py',
-  ],
-  command: [sphinx, '-q', '-b', 'html', '-d', '@OUTDIR@/doctrees', meson.current_source_dir(), '@OUTPUT@'],
-  build_by_default: true,
-  install: true,
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'doc', meson.project_name()),
-)
+if get_option('html_manual')
+  sphinx_output = custom_target(
+    'HTML documentation',
+    output: 'html',
+    input: [
+      'index.rst', 'user.rst', 'developer.rst',
+      'plugins.rst',
+      'protocol.rst',
+      'conf.py',
+    ],
+    command: [sphinx, '-q', '-b', 'html', '-d', '@OUTDIR@/doctrees', meson.current_source_dir(), '@OUTPUT@'],
+    build_by_default: true,
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'doc', meson.project_name()),
+  )
 
-custom_target(
-  'upload',
-  input: sphinx_output,
-  output: 'upload',
-  build_always_stale: true,
-  command: [
-    'rsync', '-vpruz', '--delete', meson.current_build_dir() + '/',
-    'www.musicpd.org:/var/www/mpd/doc/',
-    '--chmod=Dug+rwx,Do+rx,Fug+rw,Fo+r',
-    '--include=html', '--include=html/**',
-    '--exclude=*',
-  ],
-)
-  
-  
+  custom_target(
+    'upload',
+    input: sphinx_output,
+    output: 'upload',
+    build_always_stale: true,
+    command: [
+      'rsync', '-vpruz', '--delete', meson.current_build_dir() + '/',
+      'www.musicpd.org:/var/www/mpd/doc/',
+      '--chmod=Dug+rwx,Do+rx,Fug+rw,Fo+r',
+      '--include=html', '--include=html/**',
+      '--exclude=*',
+    ],
+  )
+endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 750120208..cb70c133e 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 option('documentation', type: 'feature', description: 'Build documentation')
+option('html_manual', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Build the HTML manual')
 
 option('test', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'Build the unit tests and debug programs')