diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 0816499c..1cfe878a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ option(CROSS_COMPILE_AARCH64 "Cross-compile for 64-bit ARM" off)
 option(COMPILE_WIN32 "Compile for Win32" off)
 
 set(ENABLE_LIBDW_SUPPORT ON)
+option(ENABLE_BACKWARD "Enable support for backtraces" ON)
 
 if (COMPILE_WIN32)
     set(ARCH amd64)
@@ -193,30 +194,35 @@ if (NOT DISABLE_WEBSOCKETS)
 endif (NOT DISABLE_WEBSOCKETS)
 
 # elfutils (libdw-dev)
-if (ENABLE_LIBDW_SUPPORT)
-    find_path(LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR NAMES elfutils/libdw.h elfutils/libdwfl.h HINTS /usr /usr/local PATH_SUFFIXES include)
+if (ENABLE_BACKWARD)
+    if (ENABLE_LIBDW_SUPPORT)
+        find_path(LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR NAMES elfutils/libdw.h elfutils/libdwfl.h HINTS /usr /usr/local PATH_SUFFIXES include)
 
-    include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
-    find_package_handle_standard_args(Libdw DEFAULT_MSG LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR)
+        include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
+        find_package_handle_standard_args(Libdw DEFAULT_MSG LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR)
 
-    if (LIBDW_FOUND)
-        message("-- libdw (libdw-dev) found, detailed backtrace support enabled")
-        add_definitions(-DBACKWARD_HAS_DW=1)
-        set(LIBDW_LIBRARY "dw")
+        if (LIBDW_FOUND)
+            message("-- libdw (libdw-dev) found, detailed backtrace support enabled")
+            add_definitions(-DBACKWARD_HAS_DW=1)
+            set(LIBDW_LIBRARY "dw")
+        else()
+            message("-- libdw (libdw-dev) not found, simple backtrace only")
+            add_definitions(-DBACKWARD_HAS_DW=0 -DBACKWARD_HAS_BACKTRACE_SYMBOL=1)
+            set(LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR "")
+            set(LIBDW_LIBRARY "")
+        endif (LIBDW_FOUND)
+
+        mark_as_advanced(LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR LIBDW_LIBRARY)
     else()
-        message("-- libdw (libdw-dev) not found, simple backtrace only")
+        message("-- libdw (libdw-dev) disabled, simple backtrace only")
         add_definitions(-DBACKWARD_HAS_DW=0 -DBACKWARD_HAS_BACKTRACE_SYMBOL=1)
         set(LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR "")
         set(LIBDW_LIBRARY "")
-    endif (LIBDW_FOUND)
-
-    mark_as_advanced(LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR LIBDW_LIBRARY)
+    endif (ENABLE_LIBDW_SUPPORT)
 else()
-    message("-- libdw (libdw-dev) disabled, simple backtrace only")
-    add_definitions(-DBACKWARD_HAS_DW=0 -DBACKWARD_HAS_BACKTRACE_SYMBOL=1)
-    set(LIBDW_INCLUDE_DIR "")
-    set(LIBDW_LIBRARY "")
-endif (ENABLE_LIBDW_SUPPORT)
+    message("-- backtrace has been disabled per user request. Here be dragons!")
+    add_definitions(-DBACKWARD_HAS_BACKTRACE_SYMBOL=0 -DBACKWARD_SYSTEM_UNKNOWN=1)
+endif (ENABLE_BACKWARD)
 
 # FinalCut
 if (ENABLE_TUI_SUPPORT AND NOT FC_INCLUDED)