diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 3be192356ec..08f8365d43e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -2144,11 +2144,15 @@ else
   pre_args += '-DCUSTOM_SHADER_REPLACEMENT'
 endif
 
+allow_fallback_for_perfetto = get_option('allow-fallback-for').contains('perfetto')
 with_perfetto = get_option('perfetto')
 with_datasources = get_option('datasources')
 with_any_datasource = with_datasources.length() != 0
 if with_perfetto
-  dep_perfetto = dependency('perfetto', fallback: ['perfetto', 'dep_perfetto'])
+  dep_perfetto = dependency(
+      'perfetto',
+      fallback: allow_fallback_for_perfetto ? ['perfetto', 'dep_perfetto'] : [],
+  )
   pre_args += '-DHAVE_PERFETTO'
 endif
 
diff --git a/meson.options b/meson.options
index 51a644ad310..3d55aeb1459 100644
--- a/meson.options
+++ b/meson.options
@@ -844,9 +844,9 @@ option(
 option(
   'allow-fallback-for',
   type : 'array',
-  value : [],
+  value : ['perfetto'],
   choices : [
-    'libdrm',
+    'libdrm', 'perfetto',
   ],
   description : 'Allows the fallback mechanism if the dependency is not available on the system, or too old.'
 )