diff --git a/cmake/defaults.cmake b/cmake/defaults.cmake
index c1fe71efe..c97febdbd 100644
--- a/cmake/defaults.cmake
+++ b/cmake/defaults.cmake
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ option(BUILD_LUAFILTER "Build Luafilter" ON)
 option(GCOV "Use gcov build flags" OFF)
 option(WITH_SCRIPTS "Install init.d scripts and ldconf configuration files" ON)
 option(BUILD_TESTS "Build tests" ON)
+option(BUILD_SYSTEM_TESTS "Build system tests" OFF)
 option(PACKAGE "Enable package building (this disables local installation of system files)" OFF)
 option(BUILD_TOOLS "Build extra utility tools" OFF)
 option(PROFILE "Profiling (gprof)" OFF)