diff --git a/include/meson.build b/include/meson.build
index 9a7547c47..5864ced5c 100644
--- a/include/meson.build
+++ b/include/meson.build
@@ -53,7 +53,17 @@ conf_data.set('HAS_APERTURE_DRV', host_machine.system() == 'openbsd')
 
 # XXX: BUNDLE_ID_PREFIX
 conf_data.set_quoted('OSNAME', 'Linux') # XXX
-conf_data.set('HAVE_INPUTTHREAD', '1') # XXX
+
+if get_option('input_thread') == 'false'
+  enable_input_thread = false
+else
+  enable_input_thread = cc.has_header_symbol('pthread.h',
+					     'PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE')
+  if not enable_input_thread and get_option('input_thread') == 'true'
+    error('Input thread enabled and PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE not found')
+  endif
+endif
+conf_data.set('HAVE_INPUTTHREAD', enable_input_thread)
 
 if cc.compiles('''
     #define _GNU_SOURCE 1
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 3f02d5066..6b9641756 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ option('xdmcp', type: 'boolean', value: true)
 option('xdm-auth-1', type: 'boolean', value: true)
 option('secure-rpc', type: 'boolean', value: true)
 option('ipv6', type: 'combo', choices: ['true', 'false', 'auto'], value: 'auto')
+option('input_thread', type: 'combo', choices: ['true', 'false', 'auto'], value: 'auto')
 
 option('xkb_dir', type: 'string')
 option('xkb_output_dir', type: 'string')