diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/meson_options.txt b/subprojects/gst-devtools/meson_options.txt
index 5da5abf921..d7f5337c3e 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/meson_options.txt
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 option('validate', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description : 'Build GstValidate')
+option('cairo', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Build GstValidateVideo')
 option('debug_viewer', type : 'feature', value : 'disabled',
         description : 'Build GstDebugViewer (GPLv3+)')
+
+# Common feature options
 option('introspection', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true,
        description : 'Generate gobject-introspection bindings')
 option('tests', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true,
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst-libs/gst/video/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst-libs/gst/video/meson.build
index c4a84da576..ad1c88b7e2 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst-libs/gst/video/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst-libs/gst/video/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 validate_video_dep = dependency('', required: false)
-cairo_dep = dependency('cairo-png', required: false, fallback: 'cairo')
+cairo_dep = dependency('cairo-png', required: get_option('cairo'), fallback: 'cairo')
 
 if cairo_dep.found()
     video = static_library(