diff --git a/include/rootston/config.h b/include/rootston/config.h
index 545b6742..66347c3c 100644
--- a/include/rootston/config.h
+++ b/include/rootston/config.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ struct binding_config {
 };
 
 struct roots_config {
+	bool xwayland;
 	// TODO: Multiple cursors, multiseat
 	struct {
 		char *mapped_output;
diff --git a/include/rootston/desktop.h b/include/rootston/desktop.h
index 68fc5b94..1225bdcd 100644
--- a/include/rootston/desktop.h
+++ b/include/rootston/desktop.h
@@ -35,15 +35,18 @@ struct roots_desktop {
 	struct wlr_compositor *compositor;
 	struct wlr_wl_shell *wl_shell;
 	struct wlr_xdg_shell_v6 *xdg_shell_v6;
-	struct wlr_xwayland *xwayland;
 	struct wlr_gamma_control_manager *gamma_control_manager;
 	struct wlr_screenshooter *screenshooter;
 
 	struct wl_listener output_add;
 	struct wl_listener output_remove;
 	struct wl_listener xdg_shell_v6_surface;
-	struct wl_listener xwayland_surface;
 	struct wl_listener wl_shell_surface;
+
+#ifdef HAS_XWAYLAND
+	struct wlr_xwayland *xwayland;
+	struct wl_listener xwayland_surface;
+#endif
 };
 
 struct roots_server;
diff --git a/include/rootston/server.h b/include/rootston/server.h
index 15e3a4ee..a4eacb7f 100644
--- a/include/rootston/server.h
+++ b/include/rootston/server.h
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 #include <wlr/backend/session.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_data_device_manager.h>
 #include <wlr/render.h>
+#ifdef HAS_XWAYLAND
 #include <wlr/xwayland.h>
+#endif
 #include "rootston/config.h"
 #include "rootston/desktop.h"
 #include "rootston/input.h"
diff --git a/include/rootston/view.h b/include/rootston/view.h
index 0b68f93f..af087182 100644
--- a/include/rootston/view.h
+++ b/include/rootston/view.h
@@ -58,12 +58,16 @@ struct roots_view {
 	union {
 		struct wlr_wl_shell_surface *wl_shell_surface;
 		struct wlr_xdg_surface_v6 *xdg_surface_v6;
+#ifdef HAS_XWAYLAND
 		struct wlr_xwayland_surface *xwayland_surface;
+#endif
 	};
 	union {
 		struct roots_wl_shell_surface *roots_wl_shell_surface;
 		struct roots_xdg_surface_v6 *roots_xdg_surface_v6;
+#ifdef HAS_XWAYLAND
 		struct roots_xwayland_surface *roots_xwayland_surface;
+#endif
 	};
 	struct wlr_surface *wlr_surface;
 	// TODO: This would probably be better as a field that's updated on a
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 179550d6..d885484b 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ add_project_link_arguments(
 )
 
 wlr_inc = include_directories('include')
-install_subdir('include/wlr', install_dir: 'include')
 
 cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
 
@@ -72,13 +71,36 @@ if elogind.found() and get_option('enable_elogind')
 	add_project_arguments('-DHAS_ELOGIND', language: 'c')
 endif
 
+exclude_files = []
+wlr_parts = []
+conf_data = configuration_data()
+if get_option('enable_xwayland')
+	add_project_arguments('-DHAS_XWAYLAND', language: 'c')
+	subdir('xwayland')
+	wlr_parts += [lib_wlr_xwayland]
+	conf_data.set('WLR_HAS_XWAYLAND', true)
+else
+	exclude_files += ['xwayland.h']
+endif
+configure_file(output: 'config.h', install_dir: 'include/wlr', configuration: conf_data)
+install_subdir('include/wlr', install_dir: 'include', exclude_files: exclude_files)
+
+
 subdir('protocol')
 subdir('render')
 subdir('backend')
 subdir('types')
 subdir('util')
 subdir('xcursor')
-subdir('xwayland')
+
+wlr_parts += [
+	lib_wl_protos,
+	lib_wlr_backend,
+	lib_wlr_render,
+	lib_wlr_types,
+	lib_wlr_util,
+	lib_wlr_xcursor,
+]
 
 wlr_deps = [
 	wayland_server,
@@ -104,15 +126,7 @@ wlr_deps = [
 lib_wlr = library(
 	'wlroots',
 	files('dummy.c'),
-	link_whole: [
-		lib_wl_protos,
-		lib_wlr_backend,
-		lib_wlr_render,
-		lib_wlr_types,
-		lib_wlr_util,
-		lib_wlr_xcursor,
-		lib_wlr_xwayland,
-	],
+	link_whole: wlr_parts,
 	dependencies: wlr_deps,
 	include_directories: wlr_inc,
 	install: true,
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index a3f9ca45..b1e64bd9 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 option('enable_libcap', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable support for capabilities')
 option('enable_systemd', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable support for logind')
 option('enable_elogind', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable support for logind')
+option('enable_xwayland', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Enable support X11 applications')
diff --git a/rootston/config.c b/rootston/config.c
index d454c2d9..4918c8dd 100644
--- a/rootston/config.c
+++ b/rootston/config.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <strings.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
@@ -114,7 +115,19 @@ static const char *device_prefix = "device:";
 static int config_ini_handler(void *user, const char *section, const char *name,
 		const char *value) {
 	struct roots_config *config = user;
-	if (strncmp(output_prefix, section, strlen(output_prefix)) == 0) {
+	if (strcmp(section, "core") == 0) {
+		   if (strcmp(name, "xwayland") == 0) {
+			   if (strcasecmp(value, "true") == 0) {
+					config->xwayland = true;
+			   } else if (strcasecmp(value, "false") == 0) {
+					config->xwayland = false;
+			   } else {
+					wlr_log(L_ERROR, "got unknown xwayland value: %s", value);
+			   }
+		   } else {
+			   wlr_log(L_ERROR, "got unknown core config: %s", name);
+		   }
+	} else if (strncmp(output_prefix, section, strlen(output_prefix)) == 0) {
 		const char *output_name = section + strlen(output_prefix);
 		struct output_config *oc;
 		bool found = false;
@@ -251,6 +264,7 @@ static int config_ini_handler(void *user, const char *section, const char *name,
 
 struct roots_config *parse_args(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	struct roots_config *config = calloc(1, sizeof(struct roots_config));
+	config->xwayland = true;
 	wl_list_init(&config->outputs);
 	wl_list_init(&config->devices);
 	wl_list_init(&config->bindings);
diff --git a/rootston/desktop.c b/rootston/desktop.c
index b34fb19e..001cefe0 100644
--- a/rootston/desktop.c
+++ b/rootston/desktop.c
@@ -262,11 +262,15 @@ struct roots_desktop *desktop_create(struct roots_server *server,
 		&desktop->wl_shell_surface);
 	desktop->wl_shell_surface.notify = handle_wl_shell_surface;
 
-	desktop->xwayland = wlr_xwayland_create(server->wl_display,
-		desktop->compositor);
-	wl_signal_add(&desktop->xwayland->events.new_surface,
-		&desktop->xwayland_surface);
-	desktop->xwayland_surface.notify = handle_xwayland_surface;
+#ifdef HAS_XWAYLAND
+	if (config->xwayland) {
+		desktop->xwayland = wlr_xwayland_create(server->wl_display,
+			desktop->compositor);
+		wl_signal_add(&desktop->xwayland->events.new_surface,
+			&desktop->xwayland_surface);
+		desktop->xwayland_surface.notify = handle_xwayland_surface;
+	}
+#endif
 
 	desktop->gamma_control_manager = wlr_gamma_control_manager_create(
 		server->wl_display);
diff --git a/rootston/meson.build b/rootston/meson.build
index 1eb0704d..7ff79f8e 100644
--- a/rootston/meson.build
+++ b/rootston/meson.build
@@ -1,17 +1,20 @@
+sources = [
+	'config.c',
+	'cursor.c',
+	'desktop.c',
+	'ini.c',
+	'input.c',
+	'keyboard.c',
+	'main.c',
+	'output.c',
+	'pointer.c',
+	'tablet_tool.c',
+	'xdg_shell_v6.c',
+	'wl_shell.c',
+]
+if get_option('enable_xwayland')
+	sources += ['xwayland.c']
+endif
 executable(
-	'rootston', [
-		'config.c',
-		'cursor.c',
-		'desktop.c',
-		'ini.c',
-		'input.c',
-		'keyboard.c',
-		'main.c',
-		'output.c',
-		'pointer.c',
-		'tablet_tool.c',
-		'xdg_shell_v6.c',
-		'xwayland.c',
-		'wl_shell.c',
-	], dependencies: wlroots
+	'rootston', sources, dependencies: wlroots
 )
diff --git a/rootston/rootston.ini.example b/rootston/rootston.ini.example
index 8ac474d4..460efa13 100644
--- a/rootston/rootston.ini.example
+++ b/rootston/rootston.ini.example
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+[core]
+# Disable X11 support. Enabled by default.
+xwayland=false
+
 # Single output configuration. String after semicolon must match output's name.
 [output:VGA-1]
 # Set logical (layout) coordinates for this screen