diff --git a/.ci/linux-build.sh b/.ci/linux-build.sh
index 9631e342b5..a4e474a900 100755
--- a/.ci/linux-build.sh
+++ b/.ci/linux-build.sh
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ if [ "$MINI" = "true" ]; then
     OPTS="$OPTS -Denable_drivers=net/null"
     OPTS="$OPTS -Ddisable_libs=*"
 else
-    OPTS="$OPTS -Ddisable_libs="
+    OPTS="$OPTS -Denable_libs=*"
 fi
 
 if [ "$ASAN" = "true" ]; then
diff --git a/app/test/meson.build b/app/test/meson.build
index d0fabcbb8b..f3217ae577 100644
--- a/app/test/meson.build
+++ b/app/test/meson.build
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ test_sources = files(
         'virtual_pmd.c',
 )
 
-test_deps = enabled_libs
+test_deps = dpdk_libs_enabled
 # as well as libs, the pci and vdev bus drivers are needed for a lot of tests
 test_deps += ['bus_pci', 'bus_vdev']
 
diff --git a/buildtools/chkincs/meson.build b/buildtools/chkincs/meson.build
index 378c2f19ef..f2dadcae18 100644
--- a/buildtools/chkincs/meson.build
+++ b/buildtools/chkincs/meson.build
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ sources += gen_c_files.process(dpdk_chkinc_headers)
 # so we always include them in deps list
 deps = [get_variable('shared_rte_bus_vdev'), get_variable('shared_rte_bus_pci')]
 # add the rest of the libs to the dependencies
-foreach l:enabled_libs
+foreach l:dpdk_libs_enabled
     deps += get_variable('shared_rte_' + l)
 endforeach
 
diff --git a/devtools/test-meson-builds.sh b/devtools/test-meson-builds.sh
index 9131088c9d..4f93702e1f 100755
--- a/devtools/test-meson-builds.sh
+++ b/devtools/test-meson-builds.sh
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ config () # <dir> <builddir> <meson options>
 	options=
 	# deprecated libs may be disabled by default, so for complete builds ensure
 	# no libs are disabled
-	if ! echo $* | grep -q -- 'disable_libs' ; then
-		options="$options -Ddisable_libs="
+	if ! echo $* | grep -q -- 'enable_libs' ; then
+		options="$options -Denable_libs=*"
 	fi
 	if echo $* | grep -qw -- '--default-library=shared' ; then
 		options="$options -Dexamples=all"
diff --git a/lib/kni/meson.build b/lib/kni/meson.build
index 8a71d8ba6f..5ce410f7f2 100644
--- a/lib/kni/meson.build
+++ b/lib/kni/meson.build
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ if is_windows
     subdir_done()
 endif
 
+if dpdk_conf.get('RTE_IOVA_IN_MBUF') == 0
+    build = false
+    reason = 'requires IOVA in mbuf (set enable_iova_as_pa option)'
+endif
+
 if not is_linux or not dpdk_conf.get('RTE_ARCH_64')
     build = false
     reason = 'only supported on 64-bit Linux'
diff --git a/lib/meson.build b/lib/meson.build
index 9677239236..6018f5230d 100644
--- a/lib/meson.build
+++ b/lib/meson.build
@@ -92,20 +92,18 @@ dpdk_libs_deprecated += [
         'kni',
 ]
 
-disabled_libs = []
-opt_disabled_libs = run_command(list_dir_globs, get_option('disable_libs'),
+disable_libs = run_command(list_dir_globs, get_option('disable_libs'),
         check: true).stdout().split()
-if dpdk_conf.get('RTE_IOVA_IN_MBUF') == 0
-    opt_disabled_libs += ['kni']
+enable_libs = run_command(list_dir_globs, get_option('enable_libs'),
+        check: true).stdout().split()
+if enable_libs.length() == 0
+    enable_libs = []
+    foreach l:run_command(list_dir_globs, '*', check: true).stdout().split()
+        if l not in dpdk_libs_deprecated
+            enable_libs += [l]
+        endif
+    endforeach
 endif
-foreach l:opt_disabled_libs
-    if not optional_libs.contains(l)
-        warning('Cannot disable mandatory library "@0@"'.format(l))
-        continue
-    endif
-    disabled_libs += l
-endforeach
-
 
 default_cflags = machine_args
 default_cflags += ['-DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API']
@@ -115,8 +113,6 @@ if cc.has_argument('-Wno-format-truncation')
     default_cflags += '-Wno-format-truncation'
 endif
 
-enabled_libs = [] # used to print summary at the end
-
 foreach l:libraries
     build = true
     reason = '<unknown reason>' # set if build == false to explain why
@@ -141,13 +137,25 @@ foreach l:libraries
         deps += ['eal']
     endif
 
-    if disabled_libs.contains(l)
+    if not enable_libs.contains(l)
+        build = false
+        reason = 'not in enabled libraries build config'
+    elif disable_libs.contains(l)
         build = false
         reason = 'explicitly disabled via build config'
-        if dpdk_libs_deprecated.contains(l)
+    endif
+
+    if not build
+        if not optional_libs.contains(l)
+            warning('Cannot disable mandatory library "@0@"'.format(l))
+            build = true
+            reason = '<unknown reason>'
+        elif dpdk_libs_deprecated.contains(l)
             reason += ' (deprecated lib)'
         endif
-    else
+    endif
+
+    if build
         if dpdk_libs_deprecated.contains(l)
             warning('Enabling deprecated library, "@0@"'.format(l))
         endif
@@ -183,7 +191,7 @@ foreach l:libraries
         continue
     endif
 
-    enabled_libs += name
+    dpdk_libs_enabled += name
     dpdk_conf.set('RTE_LIB_' + name.to_upper(), 1)
     install_headers(headers)
     install_headers(indirect_headers)
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 992ca91e88..39cb73846d 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ dpdk_extra_ldflags = []
 dpdk_libs_deprecated = []
 dpdk_apps_disabled = []
 dpdk_libs_disabled = []
+dpdk_libs_enabled = []
 dpdk_drvs_disabled = []
 testpmd_drivers_sources = []
 testpmd_drivers_deps = []
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ message(output_message + '\n')
 output_message = '\n=================\nLibraries Enabled\n=================\n'
 output_message += '\nlibs:\n\t'
 output_count = 0
-foreach lib:enabled_libs
+foreach lib:dpdk_libs_enabled
     output_message += lib + ', '
     output_count += 1
     if output_count == 8
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 82c8297065..af54f8b8d4 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ option('disable_apps', type: 'string', value: '', description:
        'Comma-separated list of apps to explicitly disable.')
 option('disable_drivers', type: 'string', value: '', description:
        'Comma-separated list of drivers to explicitly disable.')
-option('disable_libs', type: 'string', value: 'flow_classify,kni', description:
+option('disable_libs', type: 'string', value: '', description:
        'Comma-separated list of libraries to explicitly disable. [NOTE: not all libs can be disabled]')
 option('drivers_install_subdir', type: 'string', value: 'dpdk/pmds-<VERSION>', description:
        'Subdirectory of libdir where to install PMDs. Defaults to using a versioned subdirectory.')
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ option('enable_apps', type: 'string', value: '', description:
        'Comma-separated list of apps to build. If unspecified, build all apps.')
 option('enable_drivers', type: 'string', value: '', description:
        'Comma-separated list of drivers to build. If unspecified, build all drivers.')
+option('enable_libs', type: 'string', value: '', description:
+       'Comma-separated list of libraries to explicitly enable.')
 option('enable_driver_sdk', type: 'boolean', value: false, description:
        'Install headers to build drivers.')
 option('enable_kmods', type: 'boolean', value: false, description:
