diff --git a/MMCore/meson.build b/MMCore/meson.build
index a24403066..3049fbb65 100644
--- a/MMCore/meson.build
+++ b/MMCore/meson.build
@@ -19,7 +19,21 @@ endif
 
 # MMDevice must be copied into subprojects/ for this experimental build to work
 # (unless MMCore is itself being used as a subproject).
-mmdevice_proj = subproject('MMDevice')
+if get_option('tests').enabled()
+    tests_option = 'enabled'
+elif get_option('tests').disabled()
+    tests_option = 'disabled'
+else
+    tests_option = 'auto'
+endif
+mmdevice_proj = subproject(
+    'MMDevice',
+    # Propagate value of 'tests' option ('yield: true' in MMDeivce's 'tests'
+    # option did not seem to work; Meson 1.3.1).
+    default_options: {
+        'tests': tests_option,
+    },
+)
 mmdevice_dep = mmdevice_proj.get_variable('mmdevice')
 
 mmcore_sources = files(
@@ -85,7 +99,10 @@ mmcore_lib = static_library(
     'MMCore',
     sources: mmcore_sources,
     include_directories: mmcore_include_dir,
-    dependencies: mmdevice_dep,
+    dependencies: [
+        mmdevice_dep,
+        dependency('threads'),
+    ],
     cpp_args: [
         '-D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS', # TODO Eliminate the need
     ],
@@ -98,3 +115,8 @@ mmcore = declare_dependency(
     link_with: mmcore_lib,
     dependencies: mmdevice_dep,
 )
+
+# For providing include dir to SWIG when using this project as a subproject
+swig_include_dirs = mmdevice_proj.get_variable('swig_include_dirs') + [
+    meson.current_source_dir(),
+]
diff --git a/MMCore/meson_options.txt b/MMCore/meson_options.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9af6fe9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MMCore/meson_options.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+option('tests', type: 'feature', value: 'enabled',
+    description: 'Build unit tests',
+)
diff --git a/MMCore/unittest/meson.build b/MMCore/unittest/meson.build
index 416d51109..67feffc25 100644
--- a/MMCore/unittest/meson.build
+++ b/MMCore/unittest/meson.build
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ catch2_with_main_dep = dependency(
     'catch2-with-main',
     allow_fallback: true,
     include_type: 'system',
+    required: get_option('tests'),
+    disabler: true,
 )
 
 mmcore_test_sources = files(
@@ -28,4 +30,4 @@ mmcore_test_exe = executable(
     ],
 )
 
-test('MMCore tests', mmcore_test_exe)
\ No newline at end of file
+test('MMCore tests', mmcore_test_exe)
diff --git a/MMDevice/meson.build b/MMDevice/meson.build
index 9f6bdf496..dcddc8cb0 100644
--- a/MMDevice/meson.build
+++ b/MMDevice/meson.build
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ mmdevice_lib = static_library(
     # MMDevice does not depend on any external library. This is a big advantage
     # in simplifing its usage (given hundreds of device adapters depending on
     # MMDevice), so think twice before adding dependencies.
+    dependencies: [
+        dependency('threads'),
+    ],
 )
 
 subdir('unittest')
@@ -58,3 +61,6 @@ mmdevice = declare_dependency(
     include_directories: mmdevice_include_dir,
     link_with: mmdevice_lib,
 )
+
+# For providing include dir to SWIG when using this project as a subproject
+swig_include_dirs = [meson.current_source_dir()]
diff --git a/MMDevice/meson_options.txt b/MMDevice/meson_options.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f5d777ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MMDevice/meson_options.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+option('tests', type: 'feature', value: 'enabled', yield: true,
+    description: 'Build unit tests',
+)
diff --git a/MMDevice/unittest/meson.build b/MMDevice/unittest/meson.build
index 7c4f77276..dbca08cff 100644
--- a/MMDevice/unittest/meson.build
+++ b/MMDevice/unittest/meson.build
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ catch2_with_main_dep = dependency(
     'catch2-with-main',
     allow_fallback: true,
     include_type: 'system',
+    required: get_option('tests'),
+    disabler: true,
 )
 
 mmdevice_test_sources = files(
@@ -23,4 +25,4 @@ mmdevice_test_exe = executable(
 test(
     'MMDevice unit tests',
     mmdevice_test_exe,
-)
\ No newline at end of file
+)