diff --git a/docs/meson.build b/docs/meson.build
index b34bdbcbe..1fd75cf56 100644
--- a/docs/meson.build
+++ b/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+if not find_program('gtkdoc-scan', required: get_option('docs')).found()
+  message('Not building documentation as gtk-doc was not found')
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 conf.set('HAVE_GTK_DOC', 1)
 
 gnome = import('gnome')