diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 20b27c86001..61b9e76f909 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1026,6 +1026,8 @@ want_tests = get_option('tests')
 install_tests = get_option('install-tests')
 tests = []
 
+conf.set10('SYSTEMD_SLOW_TESTS_DEFAULT', get_option('slow-tests'))
+
 #####################################################################
 
 if get_option('efi')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 1594fec41f5..71e357f15b8 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -252,5 +252,7 @@ option('zshcompletiondir', type : 'string',
 
 option('tests', type : 'combo', choices : ['true', 'unsafe'],
        description : 'enable extra tests with =unsafe')
+option('slow-tests', type : 'boolean', value : 'false',
+       description : 'run the slow tests by default')
 option('install-tests', type : 'boolean', value : 'false',
        description : 'install test executables')