diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index dcd2ba2..ea19e3f 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -70,7 +70,10 @@ swig = find_program('swig', native: true)
 # dependency object.
 mmcore_proj = subproject(
     'MMCore',
-    default_options: {'default_library': 'static'},
+    default_options: {
+        'default_library': 'static',
+        'tests': 'disabled',  # Avoid Catch2 subproject in sdist
+    },
 )
 mmcore_dep = mmcore_proj.get_variable('mmcore')