diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 0c077f3f5e..3544024166 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ iconv="auto"
 curses="auto"
 docs="auto"
 fdt="auto"
-netmap="no"
+netmap="auto"
 sdl="auto"
 sdl_image="auto"
 virtiofsd="auto"
@@ -701,7 +701,6 @@ FreeBSD)
   bsd_user="yes"
   make="${MAKE-gmake}"
   # needed for kinfo_getvmmap(3) in libutil.h
-  netmap=""  # enable netmap autodetect
 ;;
 DragonFly)
   bsd="yes"
@@ -1026,9 +1025,9 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --enable-vde) vde="enabled"
   ;;
-  --disable-netmap) netmap="no"
+  --disable-netmap) netmap="disabled"
   ;;
-  --enable-netmap) netmap="yes"
+  --enable-netmap) netmap="enabled"
   ;;
   --disable-xen) xen="disabled"
   ;;
@@ -2903,34 +2902,6 @@ EOF
   fi
 fi
 
-##########################################
-# netmap support probe
-# Apart from looking for netmap headers, we make sure that the host API version
-# supports the netmap backend (>=11). The upper bound (15) is meant to simulate
-# a minor/major version number. Minor new features will be marked with values up
-# to 15, and if something happens that requires a change to the backend we will
-# move above 15, submit the backend fixes and modify this two bounds.
-if test "$netmap" != "no" ; then
-  cat > $TMPC << EOF
-#include <inttypes.h>
-#include <net/if.h>
-#include <net/netmap.h>
-#include <net/netmap_user.h>
-#if (NETMAP_API < 11) || (NETMAP_API > 15)
-#error
-#endif
-int main(void) { return 0; }
-EOF
-  if compile_prog "" "" ; then
-    netmap=yes
-  else
-    if test "$netmap" = "yes" ; then
-      feature_not_found "netmap"
-    fi
-    netmap=no
-  fi
-fi
-
 ##########################################
 # plugin linker support probe
 
@@ -4175,9 +4146,6 @@ if test "$slirp_smbd" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_SLIRP_SMBD=y" >> $config_host_mak
   echo "CONFIG_SMBD_COMMAND=\"$smbd\"" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
-if test "$netmap" = "yes" ; then
-  echo "CONFIG_NETMAP=y" >> $config_host_mak
-fi
 if test "$l2tpv3" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_L2TPV3=y" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
@@ -4724,7 +4692,7 @@ if test "$skip_meson" = no; then
         -Dalsa=$alsa -Dcoreaudio=$coreaudio -Ddsound=$dsound -Djack=$jack -Doss=$oss \
         -Dpa=$pa -Daudio_drv_list=$audio_drv_list -Dtcg_interpreter=$tcg_interpreter \
         -Dtrace_backends=$trace_backends -Dtrace_file=$trace_file -Dlinux_aio=$linux_aio \
-        -Dvde=$vde \
+        -Dnetmap=$netmap -Dvde=$vde \
         $cross_arg \
         "$PWD" "$source_path"
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 0e948a8024..40563e3c24 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1656,6 +1656,23 @@ config_host_data.set('HAVE_MLOCKALL', cc.links(gnu_source_prefix + '''
     return mlockall(MCL_FUTURE);
   }'''))
 
+have_netmap = false
+if not get_option('netmap').disabled() and have_system
+  have_netmap = cc.compiles('''
+    #include <inttypes.h>
+    #include <net/if.h>
+    #include <net/netmap.h>
+    #include <net/netmap_user.h>
+    #if (NETMAP_API < 11) || (NETMAP_API > 15)
+    #error
+    #endif
+    int main(void) { return 0; }''')
+  if not have_netmap and get_option('netmap').enabled()
+    error('Netmap headers not available')
+  endif
+endif
+config_host_data.set('CONFIG_NETMAP', have_netmap)
+
 # Work around a system header bug with some kernel/XFS header
 # versions where they both try to define 'struct fsxattr':
 # xfs headers will not try to redefine structs from linux headers
@@ -3311,7 +3328,7 @@ endif
 summary_info += {'JACK support':      jack}
 summary_info += {'brlapi support':    brlapi}
 summary_info += {'vde support':       vde}
-summary_info += {'netmap support':    config_host.has_key('CONFIG_NETMAP')}
+summary_info += {'netmap support':    have_netmap}
 summary_info += {'Linux AIO support': libaio}
 summary_info += {'Linux io_uring support': linux_io_uring}
 summary_info += {'ATTR/XATTR support': libattr}
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 7d0fa1c7f4..d8e67ae481 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ option('u2f', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description: 'U2F emulation support')
 option('usb_redir', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description: 'libusbredir support')
+option('netmap', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
+       description: 'netmap network backend support')
 option('vde', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description: 'vde network backend support')
 option('virglrenderer', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
diff --git a/net/meson.build b/net/meson.build
index 491144a697..94383e7460 100644
--- a/net/meson.build
+++ b/net/meson.build
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ softmmu_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_TCG', if_true: files('filter-replay.c'))
 softmmu_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_L2TPV3', if_true: files('l2tpv3.c'))
 softmmu_ss.add(when: slirp, if_true: files('slirp.c'))
 softmmu_ss.add(when: vde, if_true: files('vde.c'))
-softmmu_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_NETMAP', if_true: files('netmap.c'))
+if have_netmap
+  softmmu_ss.add(files('netmap.c'))
+endif
 vhost_user_ss = ss.source_set()
 vhost_user_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_VIRTIO_NET', if_true: files('vhost-user.c'), if_false: files('vhost-user-stub.c'))
 softmmu_ss.add_all(when: 'CONFIG_VHOST_NET_USER', if_true: vhost_user_ss)