--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -229,3 +229,10 @@
   value: 'auto',
   description: 'add rpath to the knot resolver executables',
 )
+
+option(
+  'systemd',
+  type: 'feature',
+  value: 'auto',
+  description: 'systemd watchdog support',
+)

--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
 
 ### Systemd
 systemd_files = get_option('systemd_files')
-libsystemd = dependency('libsystemd', required: systemd_files == 'enabled')
+libsystemd = dependency('libsystemd', required: get_option('systemd'))

 ### Allocator
 # use empty name to disable the dependency, but still compile the dependent kresd