diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cd6749b4a..70d30e1e1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
 project(CPP-NETLIB)
 
 option( CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS "Build cpp-netlib as shared libraries." OFF )
+option( CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_TESTS "Build the cpp-netlib project tests." ON)
+option( CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_EXAMPLES "Build the cpp-netlib project examples." ON)
 
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
@@ -82,12 +84,16 @@ if (Boost_FOUND)
     include_directories(${Boost_INCLUDE_DIRS})
     enable_testing()
     add_subdirectory(libs/network/src)
-    add_subdirectory(libs/network/test)
+    if (CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_TESTS)
+      add_subdirectory(libs/network/test)
+    endif (CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_TESTS)
     add_subdirectory(libs/network/experiment)
-    if (NOT MSVC)
+    if (NOT MSVC AND CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_TESTS)
       add_subdirectory(libs/mime/test)
-    endif(NOT MSVC)
-    add_subdirectory(libs/network/example)
+    endif(NOT MSVC AND CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_TESTS)
+    if (CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
+      add_subdirectory(libs/network/example)
+    endif (CPP-NETLIB_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
 endif(Boost_FOUND)
 
 if (MSVC)