diff --git a/src/build/Config.zig b/src/build/Config.zig
index a842e428e..59e3c5a3c 100644
--- a/src/build/Config.zig
+++ b/src/build/Config.zig
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ emit_macos_app: bool = false,
 emit_terminfo: bool = false,
 emit_termcap: bool = false,
 emit_test_exe: bool = false,
+emit_themes: bool = false,
 emit_xcframework: bool = false,
 emit_webdata: bool = false,
 emit_unicode_table_gen: bool = false,
@@ -366,6 +367,12 @@ pub fn init(b: *std.Build) !Config {
         .ReleaseSafe, .ReleaseFast, .ReleaseSmall => false,
     };
 
+    config.emit_themes = b.option(
+        bool,
+        "emit-themes",
+        "Install bundled iTerm2-Color-Schemes Ghostty themes",
+    ) orelse true;
+
     config.emit_webdata = b.option(
         bool,
         "emit-webdata",
diff --git a/src/build/GhosttyResources.zig b/src/build/GhosttyResources.zig
index 266069f83..a7b9a9032 100644
--- a/src/build/GhosttyResources.zig
+++ b/src/build/GhosttyResources.zig
@@ -118,14 +118,16 @@ pub fn init(b: *std.Build, cfg: *const Config) !GhosttyResources {
     }
 
     // Themes
-    if (b.lazyDependency("iterm2_themes", .{})) |upstream| {
-        const install_step = b.addInstallDirectory(.{
-            .source_dir = upstream.path(""),
-            .install_dir = .{ .custom = "share" },
-            .install_subdir = b.pathJoin(&.{ "ghostty", "themes" }),
-            .exclude_extensions = &.{".md"},
-        });
-        try steps.append(&install_step.step);
+    if (cfg.emit_themes) {
+        if (b.lazyDependency("iterm2_themes", .{})) |upstream| {
+            const install_step = b.addInstallDirectory(.{
+                .source_dir = upstream.path(""),
+                .install_dir = .{ .custom = "share" },
+                .install_subdir = b.pathJoin(&.{ "ghostty", "themes" }),
+                .exclude_extensions = &.{".md"},
+            });
+            try steps.append(&install_step.step);
+        }
     }
 
     // Fish shell completions