diff --git a/trace/meson.build b/trace/meson.build
index b0d31a67e6..c3412dc0ba 100644
--- a/trace/meson.build
+++ b/trace/meson.build
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ trace_events_all = custom_target('trace-events-all',
                                  input: trace_events_files,
                                  command: [ 'cat', '@INPUT@' ],
                                  capture: true,
-                                 install: true,
+                                 install: get_option('trace_backends') != [ 'nop' ],
                                  install_dir: qemu_datadir)
 
 if 'ust' in get_option('trace_backends')