diff --git a/libweston/desktop/meson.build b/libweston/desktop/meson.build
index 4588ad106..7117877d8 100644
--- a/libweston/desktop/meson.build
+++ b/libweston/desktop/meson.build
@@ -5,12 +5,18 @@ srcs_libweston += files([
 	'surface.c',
 	'xwayland.c',
 	'xdg-shell.c',
-	'xdg-shell-v6.c',
 ])
 
 srcs_libweston += [
-	xdg_shell_unstable_v6_server_protocol_h,
-	xdg_shell_unstable_v6_protocol_c,
 	xdg_shell_server_protocol_h,
 	xdg_shell_protocol_c,
 ]
+
+if get_option('deprecated-xdg-shell-v6-unstable')
+  warning('deprecated-xdg-shell-v6-unstable enabled. This will be removed in future versions.')
+  srcs_libweston += files([ 'xdg-shell-v6.c' ])
+  srcs_libweston += [
+	xdg_shell_unstable_v6_server_protocol_h,
+	xdg_shell_unstable_v6_protocol_c
+  ]
+endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 0ebaee5c5..31b8ade4d 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -132,6 +132,13 @@ option(
 	description: 'Weston desktop shell: default helper client selection'
 )
 
+option(
+	'deprecated-xdg-shell-v6-unstable',
+	type: 'boolean',
+	value: false,
+	description: 'DEPRECATED: xdg-shell v6 unstable support. Use xdg-shell stable'
+)
+
 option(
 	'color-management-lcms',
 	type: 'boolean',