diff --git a/docs/var-log/meson.build b/docs/var-log/meson.build
index 0ddff20ce56..993eb31d679 100644
--- a/docs/var-log/meson.build
+++ b/docs/var-log/meson.build
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ file = configure_file(
         output : 'README',
         configuration : substs)
 
-if conf.get('HAVE_SYSV_COMPAT') == 1
+if conf.get('HAVE_SYSV_COMPAT') == 1 and get_option('create-log-dirs')
         install_data(file,
                      install_dir : varlogdir)
 endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index e56d33760b4..7c8a769bbc5 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ option('timesyncd', type : 'boolean',
        description : 'install the systemd-timesyncd daemon')
 option('remote', type : 'combo', choices : ['auto', 'true', 'false'],
        description : 'support for "journal over the network"')
+option('create-log-dirs', type : 'boolean',
+       description : 'create /var/log/journal{,/remote}')
 option('nss-myhostname', type : 'boolean',
        description : 'install nss-myhostname module')
 option('nss-mymachines', type : 'combo', choices : ['auto', 'true', 'false'],
diff --git a/src/journal-remote/meson.build b/src/journal-remote/meson.build
index 2887daa4bf9..87b8ba6495f 100644
--- a/src/journal-remote/meson.build
+++ b/src/journal-remote/meson.build
@@ -63,9 +63,11 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_REMOTE') == 1 and conf.get('HAVE_MICROHTTPD') == 1
         install_data('browse.html',
                      install_dir : join_paths(pkgdatadir, 'gatewayd'))
 
-        meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
-                                 mkdir_p.format('/var/log/journal/remote'))
-        meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
-                                 '''chown 0:0 $DESTDIR/var/log/journal/remote &&
-                                    chmod 755 $DESTDIR/var/log/journal/remote || :''')
+        if get_option('create-log-dirs')
+                meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                                         mkdir_p.format('/var/log/journal/remote'))
+                meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                                         '''chown 0:0 $DESTDIR/var/log/journal/remote &&
+                                            chmod 755 $DESTDIR/var/log/journal/remote || :''')
+        endif
 endif
diff --git a/src/journal/meson.build b/src/journal/meson.build
index e03d6dc2327..5796f77cac3 100644
--- a/src/journal/meson.build
+++ b/src/journal/meson.build
@@ -111,20 +111,22 @@ endif
 install_data('journald.conf',
              install_dir : pkgsysconfdir)
 
-meson.add_install_script(
-        'sh', '-c',
-        mkdir_p.format('/var/log/journal'))
-meson.add_install_script(
-        'sh', '-c',
-        '''chown 0:0 $DESTDIR/var/log/journal &&
-         chmod 755 $DESTDIR/var/log/journal || :''')
-if get_option('adm-group')
+if get_option('create-log-dirs')
         meson.add_install_script(
                 'sh', '-c',
-                'setfacl -nm g:adm:rx,d:g:adm:rx $DESTDIR/var/log/journal || :')
-endif
-if get_option('wheel-group')
+                mkdir_p.format('/var/log/journal'))
         meson.add_install_script(
                 'sh', '-c',
-                'setfacl -nm g:wheel:rx,d:g:wheel:rx $DESTDIR/var/log/journal || :')
+                '''chown 0:0 $DESTDIR/var/log/journal &&
+                   chmod 755 $DESTDIR/var/log/journal || :''')
+        if get_option('adm-group')
+                meson.add_install_script(
+                        'sh', '-c',
+                        'setfacl -nm g:adm:rx,d:g:adm:rx $DESTDIR/var/log/journal || :')
+        endif
+        if get_option('wheel-group')
+                meson.add_install_script(
+                        'sh', '-c',
+                        'setfacl -nm g:wheel:rx,d:g:wheel:rx $DESTDIR/var/log/journal || :')
+        endif
 endif