diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index aec5d2e..3d25a6f 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -66,6 +66,22 @@ build-dependencies:
       # 
 
 # Stage: build
+build-mcg-no-tests:
+  <<: *job-setup
+  stage: build
+  script:
+    - module load clang/$LLVM
+    - cmake -S . -B $MCG_BUILD-no-tests -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug 
+        -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/tmp/metacg/$MCG_BUILD-no-tests
+        -DCUBE_LIB=$(dirname $(which cube_info))/../lib 
+        -DCUBE_INCLUDE=$(dirname $(which cube_info))/../include/cubelib
+        -DEXTRAP_INCLUDE=./extern/install/extrap/include 
+        -DEXTRAP_LIB=./extern/install/extrap/lib 
+        -DSPDLOG_BUILD_SHARED=ON -DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE:BOOL=ON
+        -DMETACG_BUILD_UNIT_TESTS=OFF
+    - cmake --build $MCG_BUILD-no-tests --parallel
+    - module purge
+
 build-mcg-stripped-all:
   <<: *job-setup
   stage: build
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 77c50ac..a2845fc 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ list(
 
 set(METACG_Directory ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
 
+# Whether the GoogleTest-based unit tests should be built and GoogleTest is downloaded as dependency This needs to be
+# here, so ToolchainOptions already "sees" the option's value
+option(
+  METACG_BUILD_UNIT_TESTS
+  "On or Off"
+  ON
+)
+
 # This also downloads and builds googletest
 include(ToolchainOptions)
 # Making packaging easier
diff --git a/cmake/ToolchainOptions.cmake b/cmake/ToolchainOptions.cmake
index 6561af7..c72d159 100644
--- a/cmake/ToolchainOptions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/ToolchainOptions.cmake
@@ -88,45 +88,47 @@ function(target_project_compile_definitions target)
   endif()
 endfunction()
 
-# Download and unpack googletest at configure time
-configure_file(cmake/GoogleTest.cmake.in googletest-download/CMakeLists.txt)
-execute_process(
-  COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -G "${CMAKE_GENERATOR}" .
-  RESULT_VARIABLE result
-  WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/googletest-download
-)
-if(result)
-  message(FATAL_ERROR "CMake step for googletest failed: ${result}")
-endif()
-execute_process(
-  COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build .
-  RESULT_VARIABLE result
-  WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/googletest-download
-)
-if(result)
-  message(FATAL_ERROR "Build step for googletest failed: ${result}")
-endif()
+if(METACG_BUILD_UNIT_TESTS)
+  # Download and unpack googletest at configure time
+  configure_file(cmake/GoogleTest.cmake.in googletest-download/CMakeLists.txt)
+  execute_process(
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -G "${CMAKE_GENERATOR}" .
+    RESULT_VARIABLE result
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/googletest-download
+  )
+  if(result)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "CMake step for googletest failed: ${result}")
+  endif()
+  execute_process(
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build .
+    RESULT_VARIABLE result
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/googletest-download
+  )
+  if(result)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Build step for googletest failed: ${result}")
+  endif()
 
-# Prevent overriding the parent project's compiler/linker settings on Windows
-set(gtest_force_shared_crt
-    ON
-    CACHE BOOL
-          ""
-          FORCE
-)
-
-# Add googletest directly to our build. This defines the gtest and gtest_main targets.
-add_subdirectory(
-  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/googletest-src
-  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/googletest-build
-  EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL
-)
-
-# The gtest/gtest_main targets carry header search path dependencies automatically when using CMake 2.8.11 or later.
-# Otherwise we have to add them here ourselves.
-if(CMAKE_VERSION
-   VERSION_LESS
-   2.8.11
-)
-  include_directories("${gtest_SOURCE_DIR}/include")
+  # Prevent overriding the parent project's compiler/linker settings on Windows
+  set(gtest_force_shared_crt
+      ON
+      CACHE BOOL
+            ""
+            FORCE
+  )
+
+  # Add googletest directly to our build. This defines the gtest and gtest_main targets.
+  add_subdirectory(
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/googletest-src
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/googletest-build
+    EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL
+  )
+
+  # The gtest/gtest_main targets carry header search path dependencies automatically when using CMake 2.8.11 or later.
+  # Otherwise we have to add them here ourselves.
+  if(CMAKE_VERSION
+     VERSION_LESS
+     2.8.11
+  )
+    include_directories("${gtest_SOURCE_DIR}/include")
+  endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/graph/CMakeLists.txt b/graph/CMakeLists.txt
index b4e84b0..f95891d 100644
--- a/graph/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/graph/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -63,4 +63,6 @@ add_config_include(metacg)
 add_json(metacg)
 add_spdlog_libraries(metacg)
 
-add_subdirectory(test/unit)
+if(METACG_BUILD_UNIT_TESTS)
+  add_subdirectory(test/unit)
+endif()
diff --git a/pgis/CMakeLists.txt b/pgis/CMakeLists.txt
index 85ebd75..0c0e247 100644
--- a/pgis/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/pgis/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,4 +7,6 @@ enable_testing()
 
 add_subdirectory(lib)
 add_subdirectory(tool)
-add_subdirectory(test/unit)
+if(METACG_BUILD_UNIT_TESTS)
+  add_subdirectory(test/unit)
+endif()