diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 602d053b7..cd4526ba3 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -34,5 +34,7 @@ option('icu_builtin', type: 'boolean', value: false,
   description: 'Don\'t separate ICU support as harfbuzz-icu module')
 option('experimental_api', type: 'boolean', value: false,
   description: 'Enable experimental APIs')
+option('ragel_subproject', type: 'boolean', value: false,
+  description: 'Build Ragel subproject if no suitable version is found')
 option('fuzzer_ldflags', type: 'string',
   description: 'Extra LDFLAGS used during linking of fuzzing binaries')
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 444e61405..e15da3ad3 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -291,10 +291,12 @@ hb_gobject_headers = files(
 )
 
 ragel = find_program('ragel', version: '6.10', required: false)
-if not ragel.found() and meson.can_run_host_binaries() and cpp.get_id() != 'msvc'
-  ragel = subproject('ragel').get_variable('ragel')
+has_ragel = ragel.found()
+if not has_ragel and get_option('ragel_subproject')
+    ragel = subproject('ragel').get_variable('ragel')
+    has_ragel = true
 endif
-if not ragel.found()
+if not has_ragel
   warning('You have to install ragel if you are going to develop HarfBuzz itself')
 else
   ragel_helper = find_program('gen-ragel-artifacts.py')