diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index e2c332b..e40f488 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ yambar = executable(
     plugin_pipewire_enabled ? '-DPLUGIN_ENABLED_PIPEWIRE' : [],
     plugin_pulse_enabled ? '-DPLUGIN_ENABLED_PULSE' : [],
     plugin_removables_enabled ? '-DPLUGIN_ENABLED_REMOVABLES' : [],
+    plugin_river_enabled ? '-DPLUGIN_ENABLED_RIVER' : [],
     plugin_script_enabled ? '-DPLUGIN_ENABLED_SCRIPT' : [],
     plugin_sway_xkb_enabled ? '-DPLUGIN_ENABLED_SWAY_XKB' : [],
     plugin_xkb_enabled ? '-DPLUGIN_ENABLED_XKB' : [],
@@ -204,6 +205,7 @@ summary(
     'Pipewire': plugin_pipewire_enabled,
     'PulseAudio': plugin_pulse_enabled,
     'Removables monitoring': plugin_removables_enabled,
+    'River': plugin_river_enabled,
     'Script': plugin_script_enabled,
     'Sway XKB keyboard': plugin_sway_xkb_enabled,
     'XKB keyboard (for X11)': plugin_xkb_enabled,
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 46c0abb..e5ab795 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ option('plugin-pulse', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
        description: 'PulseAudio support')
 option('plugin-removables', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
        description: 'Removables (USB sticks, CD-ROM etc) monitoring support')
+option('plugin-river', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
+       description: 'River support')
 option('plugin-script', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
        description: 'Script support')
 option('plugin-sway-xkb', type: 'feature', value: 'auto',
diff --git a/modules/meson.build b/modules/meson.build
index f1c8f41..933a195 100644
--- a/modules/meson.build
+++ b/modules/meson.build
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ plugin_pulse_enabled = pulse.found()
 udev_removables = dependency('udev', required: get_option('plugin-removables'))
 plugin_removables_enabled = udev_removables.found()
 
+plugin_river_enabled = backend_wayland and get_option('plugin-river').allowed()
+
 plugin_script_enabled = get_option('plugin-script').allowed()
 
 json_sway_xkb = dependency('json-c', required: get_option('plugin-sway-xkb'))
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ if plugin_xwindow_enabled
   mod_data += {'xwindow': [[], [xcb_stuff]]}
 endif
 
-if backend_wayland
+if plugin_river_enabled
   river_proto_headers = []
   river_proto_src = []
 
@@ -145,10 +147,10 @@ if backend_wayland
       command: [wscanner_prog, 'private-code', '@INPUT@', '@OUTPUT@'])
   endforeach
 
-  mod_data += {
-    'river': [[wl_proto_src + wl_proto_headers + river_proto_src + river_proto_headers], [dynlist, wayland_client]],
-  }
+  mod_data += {'river': [[wl_proto_src + wl_proto_headers + river_proto_src + river_proto_headers], [dynlist, wayland_client]]}
+endif
 
+if backend_wayland
   ftop_proto_headers = []
   ftop_proto_src = []
 
diff --git a/plugin.c b/plugin.c
index b7fc913..7e47ee7 100644
--- a/plugin.c
+++ b/plugin.c
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ EXTERN_MODULE(pulse);
 #if defined(PLUGIN_ENABLED_REMOVABLES)
 EXTERN_MODULE(removables);
 #endif
+#if defined(PLUGIN_ENABLED_RIVER)
+EXTERN_MODULE(river);
+#endif
 #if defined(PLUGIN_ENABLED_SCRIPT)
 EXTERN_MODULE(script);
 #endif
@@ -90,7 +93,6 @@ EXTERN_MODULE(xkb);
 #if defined(PLUGIN_ENABLED_XWINDOW)
 EXTERN_MODULE(xwindow);
 #endif
-EXTERN_MODULE(river);
 
 EXTERN_PARTICLE(empty);
 EXTERN_PARTICLE(list);
@@ -202,6 +204,9 @@ init(void)
 #if defined(PLUGIN_ENABLED_REMOVABLES)
     REGISTER_CORE_MODULE(removables, removables);
 #endif
+#if defined(PLUGIN_ENABLED_RIVER)
+    REGISTER_CORE_MODULE(river, river);
+#endif
 #if defined(PLUGIN_ENABLED_SCRIPT)
     REGISTER_CORE_MODULE(script, script);
 #endif
@@ -214,9 +219,6 @@ init(void)
 #if defined(PLUGIN_ENABLED_XWINDOW)
     REGISTER_CORE_MODULE(xwindow, xwindow);
 #endif
-#if defined(HAVE_PLUGIN_river)
-    REGISTER_CORE_MODULE(river, river);
-#endif
 
     REGISTER_CORE_PARTICLE(empty, empty);
     REGISTER_CORE_PARTICLE(list, list);