diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 25d42ce..d1b7369 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -10,12 +10,14 @@ fs = import('fs')
 
 dep_scanner = dependency('wayland-scanner',
     version: get_option('tests') ? '>=1.25.0' : '>=1.22.90',
-    required: get_option('tests'),
+    required: get_option('tests'),
     native: true,
     fallback: 'wayland'
 )
 if dep_scanner.found()
 	prog_scanner = find_program(dep_scanner.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'wayland_scanner', internal: 'wayland_scanner'))
+elif get_option('generated_headers')
+	prog_scanner = find_program('wayland_scanner', 'wayland-scanner')
 endif
 
 stable_protocols = {
@@ -178,7 +180,7 @@ foreach protocol_file : installed_protocol_files
 
 include_dirs = []
 headers = []
-if dep_scanner.found()
+if get_option('generated_headers')
 	subdir('include/wayland-protocols')
 	include_dirs = ['include']
 endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 6f2f158..4c7d39e 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,7 @@ option('tests',
        type: 'boolean',
        value: true,
        description: 'Build the tests')
+option('generated_headers',
+       type: 'boolean',
+       value: false,
+       description: 'Generate protocol helper headers with wayland-scanner')