diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a6c477d..f7b2f0a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ test_env = [
   'LC_ALL=C.UTF-8',
 ]
 
-subdir('accounts-service')
 if not get_option('use_system_libmalcontent')
+  subdir('accounts-service')
   subdir('libmalcontent')
 else
   libmalcontent_api_version = '0'
@@ -137,11 +137,17 @@ endif
 if get_option('ui').enabled()
   subdir('libmalcontent-ui')
 endif
-subdir('malcontent-client')
+if not get_option('use_system_libmalcontent')
+  subdir('malcontent-client')
+endif
 if get_option('ui').enabled()
   subdir('malcontent-control')
 endif
-subdir('pam')
+if not get_option('use_system_libmalcontent')
+  subdir('pam')
+endif
 subdir('po')
 
-meson.add_install_script('build-aux/meson_post_install.py')
+if get_option('ui').enabled()
+  meson.add_install_script('build-aux/meson_post_install.py')
+endif