diff --git a/lib/dbi/meson.build b/lib/dbi/meson.build
index b4e16dd92..d41b8d761 100644
--- a/lib/dbi/meson.build
+++ b/lib/dbi/meson.build
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 libdbi_conf = configuration_data()
+libdbi_deps = [libcrypt_dep]
 
 dbi_sources = files('''
     ogs-dbi.h
@@ -31,6 +32,11 @@ mongo_sources = files('''
     mongo/ims.c
 '''.split())
 
+without_mongo_sources = files('''
+    mongo/dummy.c
+    mongo/ogs-mongoc.h
+'''.split())
+
 json_sources = files('''
     json/json.c
     external/cjson/cJSON.c
@@ -38,10 +44,16 @@ json_sources = files('''
 libdbi_sources += [json_sources]
 cjson_inc = include_directories('./external/')
 
-libmongoc_dep = dependency('libmongoc-1.0', required: true)
-if libmongoc_dep.found()
-  libdbi_conf.set('WITH_MONGOC', 1)
-  libdbi_sources += [mongo_sources]
+mongodb_optval = get_option('mongodb')
+if mongodb_optval
+    libmongoc_dep = dependency('libmongoc-1.0', required: true)
+    if libmongoc_dep.found()
+        libdbi_conf.set('WITH_MONGOC', 1)
+        libdbi_sources += [mongo_sources]
+        libdbi_deps += [libmongoc_dep]
+    endif
+else
+    libdbi_sources += [without_mongo_sources]
 endif
 
 configure_file(output : 'dbi-config-private.h', configuration : libdbi_conf)
@@ -60,10 +72,10 @@ libdbi = library('ogsdbi',
     version : libogslib_version,
     c_args : dbi_cc_flags,
     include_directories : [libdbi_inc, libinc, cjson_inc],
-    dependencies : [libcrypt_dep, libmongoc_dep],
+    dependencies : libdbi_deps,
     install : true)
 
 libdbi_dep = declare_dependency(
     link_with : libdbi,
     include_directories : [libdbi_inc, libinc],
-    dependencies : [libcrypt_dep, libmongoc_dep])
+    dependencies : libdbi_deps)
diff --git a/lib/dbi/mongo/dummy.c b/lib/dbi/mongo/dummy.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9190c52b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/dbi/mongo/dummy.c
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2022 by sysmocom - s.f.m.c. GmbH <info@sysmocom.de>
+ * Author: Alexander Couzens <lynxis@fe80.eu>
+ *
+ * This file is part of Open5GS.
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/* This file will be used when build without mongodb support to support the old api */
+#include "ogs-dbi.h"
+
+int ogs_dbi_init(const char *db_uri)
+{
+    return -ENODEV;
+}
+
+int ogs_dbi_mongo_init(const char *db_uri)
+{
+    return -ENODEV;
+}
+
+int ogs_mongoc_init(const char *db_uri)
+{
+    return -ENODEV;
+}
+
+void ogs_mongoc_final(void)
+{
+}
+
+ogs_mongoc_t *ogs_mongoc(void)
+{
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 84670367e..6552d6dbc 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -120,7 +120,8 @@ subdir('lib')
 subdir('src')
 subdir('misc')
 # Don't build the tests unless we can run them (either natively or in an exe wrapper)
-build_tests = not meson.is_cross_build() or (meson.is_cross_build() and meson.has_exe_wrapper())
+# tests also depend on mongodb
+build_tests = get_option('mongodb') and (not meson.is_cross_build() or (meson.is_cross_build() and meson.has_exe_wrapper()))
 if build_tests
     subdir('tests')
 endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 9350a6b8f..c81c38044 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 option('metrics_impl', type : 'combo', choices : ['void', 'prometheus'], value : 'void', description : 'libogsmetrics implementation')
+option('mongodb', type : 'boolean', value : 'true', description : 'build with mongodb support')