diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cbbb59ce..15700128 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ endif ()
 option (SDSL_CODE_COVERAGE "Set ON to add code coverage compile options" OFF)
 option (SDSL_HEADER_TEST "Set ON to run header tests only" OFF)
 option (SDSL_BUILD_TESTS "Set ON to build tests" ${PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL})
+option (SDSL_BUILD_TUTORIAL "Set ON to build tutorials" ${PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL})
+option (SDSL_BUILD_EXAMPLES "Set ON to build examples" ${PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL})
 option (SDSL_GENERATE_DOC "Set ON to genrate doxygen API reference in build/doc directory" OFF)
 option (SDSL_USE_LIBCPP "Use the LLVM libc++ instead of GCC libstdc++ on OS X" ON)
 
@@ -65,5 +67,9 @@ endif()
 # (10) perform extra tasks such as doxygen / packaging and uninstall target
 add_subdirectory (extras)
 
-add_subdirectory (tutorial)
-add_subdirectory (examples)
+if (SDSL_BUILD_TUTORIAL)
+    add_subdirectory (tutorial)
+endif()
+if (SDSL_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
+    add_subdirectory (examples)
+endif()