diff --git a/doc/meson.build b/doc/meson.build
index 57c7180..44fda2a 100644
--- a/doc/meson.build
+++ b/doc/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if not get_option('libraries')
+	error('-Ddocumentation=true requires -Dlibraries=true')
+endif
+
 dot = find_program('dot')
 doxygen = find_program('doxygen')
 xsltproc = find_program('xsltproc')
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index e7fc3ee..8e951b9 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -118,12 +118,12 @@ subdir('src')
 if get_option('libraries')
 	subdir('cursor')
 	subdir('egl')
-	if get_option('tests')
-		subdir('tests')
-	endif
-	if get_option('documentation')
-		subdir('doc')
-	endif
+endif
+if get_option('tests')
+	subdir('tests')
+endif
+if get_option('documentation')
+	subdir('doc')
 endif
 
 if get_option('scanner')
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 266c8b1..a601724 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if not (get_option('scanner') or get_option('libraries'))
+	error('Either -Dscanner=true or -Dlibraries=true is required')
+endif
+
 wayland_version_h = configuration_data()
 wayland_version_h.set('WAYLAND_VERSION', meson.project_version())
 wayland_version_h.set('WAYLAND_VERSION_MAJOR', wayland_version[0].to_int())
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index ffb5136..5efd6f7 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if not get_option('libraries')
+	error('-Dtests=true requires -Dlibraries=true')
+endif
+
 test_runner = static_library(
 	'test-runner',
 	sources: [