diff -Naur xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc.orig/data/meson.build xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc/data/meson.build
--- xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc.orig/data/meson.build	2023-03-06 20:32:54.000000000 -0600
+++ xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc/data/meson.build	2023-03-07 03:16:58.111901444 -0600
@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@
 )
 
 # systemd unit
-configure_file(
-  input: 'xdg-desktop-portal-gnome.service.in',
-  output: 'xdg-desktop-portal-gnome.service',
-  configuration: libexecdir_conf,
-  install_dir: systemduserunitdir,
-)
+if systemduserunitdir != ''
+  configure_file(
+    input: 'xdg-desktop-portal-gnome.service.in',
+    output: 'xdg-desktop-portal-gnome.service',
+    configuration: libexecdir_conf,
+    install_dir: systemduserunitdir,
+  )
+endif
 
 # Desktop file
 desktop_in = configure_file(
diff -Naur xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc.orig/meson.build xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc/meson.build
--- xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc.orig/meson.build	2023-03-06 20:32:54.000000000 -0600
+++ xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc/meson.build	2023-03-07 03:16:58.111901444 -0600
@@ -10,14 +10,17 @@
 datadir = get_option('datadir')
 libdir = get_option('libdir')
 libexecdir = get_option('libexecdir')
+build_systemd_service = get_option('systemd_service')
 
 systemduserunitdir = get_option('systemduserunitdir')
 if systemduserunitdir == ''
-  systemd = dependency('systemd', version: '>= 242')
-  systemduserunitdir = systemd.get_variable(
-    pkgconfig: 'systemduserunitdir',
-    pkgconfig_define: ['prefix', get_option('prefix')]
-  )
+  systemd = dependency('systemd', version: '>= 242', required: build_systemd_service)
+  if (build_systemd_service.auto() or build_systemd_service.enabled()) and systemd.found()
+    systemduserunitdir = systemd.get_variable(
+      pkgconfig: 'systemduserunitdir',
+      pkgconfig_define: ['prefix', get_option('prefix')]
+    )
+  endif
 endif
 
 dbus_service_dir = get_option('dbus_service_dir')
@@ -35,5 +38,14 @@
   'libdir': libdir,
   'libexecdir': libexecdir,
   'dbus_service_dir': dbus_service_dir,
-  'systemduserunitdir': systemduserunitdir,
 })
+if systemduserunitdir != ''
+  summary({
+    'systemd_service': build_systemd_service.enabled() or build_systemd_service.auto(),
+    'systemduserunitdir': systemduserunitdir,
+  })
+else
+  summary({
+    'systemd_service': 'False',
+  })
+endif
diff -Naur xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc.orig/meson_options.txt xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc/meson_options.txt
--- xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc.orig/meson_options.txt	2023-03-06 20:32:54.000000000 -0600
+++ xdg-desktop-portal-gnome-44.rc/meson_options.txt	2023-03-07 03:16:58.111901444 -0600
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
   description: 'Directory for D-Bus service files'
 )
 
+option('systemd_service',
+  type: 'feature',
+  description: 'Whether or not the systemd user service should be built'
+)
+
 option('systemduserunitdir',
   type: 'string',
   description: 'Directory for systemd user service files'