diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 24d997b3e0a..d6a2d83b565 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -691,9 +691,13 @@ if with_glvnd
 endif
 
 # TODO: make this conditional
-dep_valgrind = dependency('valgrind', required : false)
-if dep_valgrind.found() and with_valgrind
-  pre_args += '-DHAVE_VALGRIND'
+if with_valgrind != 'false'
+  dep_valgrind = dependency('valgrind', required : with_valgrind == 'true')
+  if dep_valgrind.found()
+    pre_args += '-DHAVE_VALGRIND'
+  endif
+else
+  dep_valgrind = []
 endif
 
 # pthread stubs. Lets not and say we didn't
@@ -709,9 +713,13 @@ endif
 
 # TODO: llvm-prefix and llvm-shared-libs
 
-dep_unwind = dependency('libunwind', required : false)
-if dep_unwind.found() and with_libunwind
-  pre_args += '-DHAVE_LIBUNWIND'
+if with_libunwind != 'false'
+  dep_unwind = dependency('libunwind', required : with_libunwind == 'true')
+  if dep_unwind.found()
+    pre_args += '-DHAVE_LIBUNWIND'
+  endif
+else
+  dep_unwind = []
 endif
 
 # TODO: flags for opengl, gles, dri
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 74f1e71bf43..f6f21b4c02d 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -138,15 +138,17 @@ option(
 )
 option(
   'valgrind',
-  type : 'boolean',
-  value : true,
-  description : 'Build with valgrind support if possible'
+  type : 'combo',
+  value : 'auto',
+  choices : ['auto', 'true', 'false'],
+  description : 'Build with valgrind support'
 )
 option(
   'libunwind',
-  type : 'boolean',
-  value : true,
-  description : 'Use libunwind for stack-traces if possible'
+  type : 'combo',
+  value : 'auto',
+  choices : ['auto', 'true', 'false'],
+  description : 'Use libunwind for stack-traces'
 )
 option(
   'build-tests',