diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 5e3d1ad11..1e1815f97 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 
 ### Build options
+option(ALLOW_BUNDLED_EXTERNAL_MESHLAB_LIBRARIES "Allow to build bundled external libraries sources" ON)
 option(BUILD_MINI "Build only a minimal set of plugins" OFF)
 option(BUILD_SERVER "Build a command-line server application" OFF)
 option(BUILD_STRICT "Strictly enforce resolution of all symbols" ON)
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ endif()
 # External
 set(EXTERNAL_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external)
 include(${EXTERNAL_DIR}/external_common.cmake)
-if(NOT BUILD_MINI)
+if((NOT BUILD_MINI) AND (ALLOW_BUNDLED_EXTERNAL_MESHLAB_LIBRARIES))
 	add_subdirectory(${EXTERNAL_DIR})
 endif()
 
diff --git a/src/external/CMakeLists.txt b/src/external/CMakeLists.txt
index 0b0cd46cb..970b890be 100644
--- a/src/external/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/external/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,5 @@
 # Copyright 2019, 2020, Visual Computing Lab, ISTI - Italian National Research Council
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSL-1.0
 
-if(NOT BUILD_MINI)
-	message(STATUS "Searching for optional components")
-	include(${EXTERNAL_DIR}/external.cmake)
-endif()
+message(STATUS "Searching for optional components")
+include(${EXTERNAL_DIR}/external.cmake)