diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index c05dc47f..4ae7c513 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ libz_dep = dependency('zlib', required: true,
                       fallback : ['zlib', 'zlib_dep'])
 
 # Check for libhugetlbfs availability (optional)
-if cc.has_header('hugetlbfs.h')
+if get_option('hugepages') and cc.has_header('hugetlbfs.h')
   libhugetlbfs_dep = cc.find_library('hugetlbfs',
-                                     required : false)
+                                     required : true)
   have_libhugetlbfs = libhugetlbfs_dep.found()
 else
   libhugetlbfs_dep = []
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 04843ea5..bb10b6c0 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ option('nvme-tests', type : 'boolean', value : false, description: 'Run tests ag
 option('docs', type : 'combo', choices : ['false', 'html', 'man', 'all'], description : 'install documentation')
 option('docs-build', type : 'boolean', value : false, description : 'build documentation')
 option('pdc-enabled', type: 'boolean', value : false, description : 'set default Persistent Discovery Controllers behavior')
+option('hugepages', type: 'boolean', value : false, description : 'Enable support for hugetlbfs')