diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 55fc44a1..b664574b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,12 +9,18 @@ set(LWIP_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
 
 set (LWIP_DEFINITIONS LWIP_DEBUG=1)
 
-if (${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} STREQUAL "Windows")
-  add_subdirectory(${LWIP_DIR}/contrib/ports/win32/example_app)
-elseif(${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} STREQUAL "Linux" OR ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} STREQUAL "Darwin")
-  add_subdirectory(${LWIP_DIR}/contrib/ports/unix/example_app)
+option(LWIP_OPTION_ENABLE_EXAMPLE_APPS "Build example apps on win32/unix/darwin" ON)
+
+if (LWIP_OPTION_ENABLE_EXAMPLE_APPS)
+  if (${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} STREQUAL "Windows")
+    add_subdirectory(${LWIP_DIR}/contrib/ports/win32/example_app)
+  elseif(${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} STREQUAL "Linux" OR ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} STREQUAL "Darwin")
+    add_subdirectory(${LWIP_DIR}/contrib/ports/unix/example_app)
+  else()
+    message(WARNING "Host ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} is not supported to build example_app")
+  endif()
 else()
-  message(WARNING "Host ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} is not supported to build example_app")
+  message(STATUS "example_app build disabled")
 endif()
 
 # Source package generation