diff --git a/app/meson.build b/app/meson.build
index eb74f215a..93affefa3 100644
--- a/app/meson.build
+++ b/app/meson.build
@@ -42,7 +42,17 @@ foreach app:apps
 
 	subdir(name)
 
-	if build
+	foreach d:deps
+		if dpdk_libs_disabled.contains(d)
+			build = false
+			reason = 'missing dependency, "@0@" '.format (d)
+		endif
+	endforeach
+
+	if not build
+		dpdk_apps_disabled += name
+		set_variable(name.underscorify() + '_disable_reason', reason)
+	else
 		dep_objs = []
 		foreach d:deps
 			dep_objs += get_variable(get_option('default_library')
diff --git a/lib/meson.build b/lib/meson.build
index 3852c0156..76996544d 100644
--- a/lib/meson.build
+++ b/lib/meson.build
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ if is_windows
 	] # only supported libraries for windows
 endif
 
+disabled_libs = get_option('disable_libs').split(',')
+
 default_cflags = machine_args
 default_cflags += ['-DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API']
 default_cflags += ['-DALLOW_INTERNAL_API']
@@ -78,6 +80,11 @@ foreach l:libraries
 	dir_name = 'librte_' + l
 	subdir(dir_name)
 
+	if disabled_libs.contains(l)
+		build = false
+		reason = 'Explicitly disabled via build config'
+	endif
+
 	if build
 		shared_deps = ext_deps
 		static_deps = ext_deps
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 61d9a4f5f..cf04f0e0e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ dpdk_drivers = []
 dpdk_extra_ldflags = []
 dpdk_libs_disabled = []
 dpdk_drvs_disabled = []
+dpdk_apps_disabled = []
 abi_version_file = files('ABI_VERSION')
 
 if host_machine.cpu_family().startswith('x86')
@@ -106,6 +107,14 @@ foreach class:dpdk_driver_classes
 endforeach
 message(output_message + '\n')
 
+output_message = '\n===============\nApplications Disabled\n===============\n'
+foreach app:dpdk_apps_disabled
+	reason = get_variable(app.underscorify() + '_disable_reason')
+	output_message += app + ':\t' + reason + '\n\t'
+endforeach
+
+message(output_message + '\n')
+
 output_message = '\n=================\nContent Skipped\n=================\n'
 output_message += '\nlibs:\n\t'
 foreach lib:dpdk_libs_disabled
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 9bf18ab6b..d1aa46b8d 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ option('armv8_crypto_dir', type: 'string', value: '',
 	description: 'path to the armv8_crypto library installation directory')
 option('disable_drivers', type: 'string', value: '',
 	description: 'Comma-separated list of drivers to explicitly disable.')
+option('disable_libs', type: 'string', value: '',
+	description: 'Comma-separated list of libs to explicitly disable.')
 option('drivers_install_subdir', type: 'string', value: 'dpdk/pmds-<VERSION>',
 	description: 'Subdirectory of libdir where to install PMDs. Defaults to using a versioned subdirectory.')
 option('enable_docs', type: 'boolean', value: false,