diff --git a/cmake/QtCreatorAPI.cmake b/cmake/QtCreatorAPI.cmake
index c17e9a7935b..4e8b7ba5336 100644
--- a/cmake/QtCreatorAPI.cmake
+++ b/cmake/QtCreatorAPI.cmake
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ list(APPEND DEFAULT_DEFINES
   RELATIVE_DOC_PATH="${RELATIVE_DOC_PATH}"
 )
 
+option(BUILD_PLUGINS_BY_DEFAULT "Build plugins by default. This can be used to build all plugins by default, or none." ON)
+option(BUILD_EXECUTABLES_BY_DEFAULT "Build executables by default. This can be used to build all executables by default, or none." ON)
+option(BUILD_LIBRARIES_BY_DEFAULT "Build libraries by default. This can be used to build all libraries by default, or none." ON)
+
 function(qtc_plugin_enabled varName name)
   if (NOT (name IN_LIST __QTC_PLUGINS))
     message(FATAL_ERROR "qtc_plugin_enabled: Unknown plugin target \"${name}\"")
@@ -79,7 +83,7 @@ function(add_qtc_library name)
   # special libraries can be turned off
   if (_arg_BUILD_BY_DEFAULT)
     string(TOUPPER "BUILD_LIBRARY_${name}" _build_library_var)
-    set(_build_library_default "ON")
+    set(_build_library_default ${BUILD_LIBRARIES_BY_DEFAULT})
     if (DEFINED ENV{QTC_${_build_library_var}})
       set(_build_library_default "$ENV{QTC_${_build_library_var}}")
     endif()
@@ -264,7 +268,7 @@ function(add_qtc_plugin target_name)
   if (DEFINED _arg_BUILD_DEFAULT)
     set(_build_plugin_default ${_arg_BUILD_DEFAULT})
   else()
-    set(_build_plugin_default "ON")
+    set(_build_plugin_default ${BUILD_PLUGINS_BY_DEFAULT})
   endif()
   if (DEFINED ENV{QTC_${_build_plugin_var}})
     set(_build_plugin_default "$ENV{QTC_${_build_plugin_var}}")
@@ -497,7 +501,7 @@ function(add_qtc_executable name)
   update_cached_list(__QTC_EXECUTABLES "${name}")
 
   string(TOUPPER "BUILD_EXECUTABLE_${name}" _build_executable_var)
-  set(_build_executable_default "ON")
+  set(_build_executable_default ${BUILD_EXECUTABLES_BY_DEFAULT})
   if (DEFINED ENV{QTC_${_build_executable_var}})
     set(_build_executable_default "$ENV{QTC_${_build_executable_var}}")
   endif()