diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 4ef81eb..c77265a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -317,7 +317,4 @@ if get_option('build_apps') and host_machine.system() != 'windows'
   subdir('apps')
 endif
 
-# Optional tests
-if get_option('buildtype') == 'debug'
-  subdir('tests')
-endif 
+subdir('tests')
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index be8b084..f66d28a 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ test_lib = static_library(
   objects: libjson.extract_all_objects(
     recursive: false,
   ),
+  build_by_default: false,
   install: false,
 )
 
@@ -65,7 +66,8 @@ foreach t : test_cases
   name = t[0]
   expected = t[1]
   exe = executable(name, name + '.c',
-    dependencies: test_deps
+    dependencies: test_deps,
+    build_by_default: false
   )
 
   test(name, exe,