diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 92315ac..14b67d5 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@
   'sdeventplus',
   fallback: ['sdeventplus', 'sdeventplus_dep'],
 )
-systemd = dependency('systemd')
 
 cpp = meson.get_compiler('cpp')
 
@@ -197,27 +196,28 @@
   install: true,
   install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
 
-systemd_system_unit_dir = systemd.get_variable(
-        pkgconfig: 'systemdsystemunitdir',
-        pkgconfig_define: ['prefix', get_option('prefix')])
+if get_option('systemd').enabled()
+  systemd_system_unit_dir = dependency('systemd').get_variable(
+          pkgconfig: 'systemdsystemunitdir')
 
-configure_file(
-  copy: true,
-  input: 'pldmd/service_files/pldmd.service',
-  install: true,
-  install_dir: systemd_system_unit_dir,
-  output: 'pldmd.service',
-)
+  configure_file(
+    copy: true,
+    input: 'pldmd/service_files/pldmd.service',
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: systemd_system_unit_dir,
+    output: 'pldmd.service',
+  )
 
-configure_file(
-  input: 'pldmd/verbosity/verbosity',
-  output: 'pldm_verbosity',
-  configuration: conf_data,
-  install: true,
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'default'))
+  configure_file(
+    input: 'pldmd/verbosity/verbosity',
+    output: 'pldm_verbosity',
+    configuration: conf_data,
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'default'))
 
-if get_option('oem-ibm').enabled()
-  subdir('oem/ibm/service_files')
+  if get_option('oem-ibm').enabled()
+    subdir('oem/ibm/service_files')
+  endif
 endif
 
 subdir('pldmtool')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 6df6dd9..9943e82 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 option('softoff', type: 'feature', description: 'Build soft power off application', value: 'enabled')
 option('softoff-timeout-seconds', type: 'integer', description: 'softoff: Time to wait for host to gracefully shutdown', value: 7200)
 
+option('systemd', type: 'feature', description: 'Include systemd support', value: 'enabled')
+
 # Timing specifications for PLDM messages
 option('number-of-request-retries', type: 'integer', min: 2, max: 30, description: 'The number of times a requester is obligated to retry a request', value: 2)
 option('instance-id-expiration-interval', type: 'integer', min: 5, max: 6, description: 'Instance ID expiration interval in seconds', value: 5)
diff --git a/softoff/meson.build b/softoff/meson.build
index d67a444..a02a306 100644
--- a/softoff/meson.build
+++ b/softoff/meson.build
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@
            install: true,
            install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
 
-configure_file(input: 'services/pldmSoftPowerOff.service',
-                 output: 'pldmSoftPowerOff.service',
-                 copy: true,
-                 install_dir: systemd_system_unit_dir)
+if get_option('systemd').enabled()
+  configure_file(input: 'services/pldmSoftPowerOff.service',
+                   output: 'pldmSoftPowerOff.service',
+                   copy: true,
+                   install_dir: systemd_system_unit_dir)
+endif