diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9de873b..b679c09 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,8 +48,11 @@ string(TOLOWER ${PROJECT_NAME} PROJECT_NAME_SMALL)
 # By default the Java-based components get built, but make it possible to disable that: if only the
 # core library is required, there's no need to build them, and that in turn eliminates the Maven and
 # JDK dependency.
-find_package(Maven 3.0 QUIET)
-option(BUILD_IDLC "Build IDL preprocessor" ${Maven_FOUND})
+option(BUILD_IDLC "Build IDL preprocessor" ON)
+if(BUILD_IDLC STREQUAL "AUTO")
+  find_package(Maven 3.0 QUIET)
+  set(BUILD_IDLC ${Maven_FOUND})
+endif()
 
 set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 99)
 if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "VxWorks")