diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 97407324c..4c6bc125b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
 # Has to be set before `project()`, and ignored on non-macos:
 set(CMAKE_OSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET 10.12 CACHE STRING "macOS deployment target (Apple clang only)")
 
+option(BUILD_DAEMON "build lokinet daemon and associated utils" ON)
+
+
 set(LANGS C CXX)
-if(APPLE)
+if(APPLE AND BUILD_DAEMON)
   set(LANGS ${LANGS} OBJC Swift)
 endif()
 
@@ -66,7 +69,6 @@ option(TRACY_ROOT "include tracy profiler source" OFF)
 option(WITH_TESTS "build unit tests" OFF)
 option(WITH_HIVE "build simulation stubs" OFF)
 option(BUILD_PACKAGE "builds extra components for making an installer (with 'make package')" OFF)
-option(BUILD_DAEMON "build lokinet daemon and associated utils" ON)
 option(WITH_BOOTSTRAP "build lokinet-bootstrap tool" ${DEFAULT_WITH_BOOTSTRAP})
 
 include(cmake/enable_lto.cmake)