diff --git a/include/wrenpp/meson.build b/include/wrenpp/meson.build
index 9009833..d4b441d 100644
--- a/include/wrenpp/meson.build
+++ b/include/wrenpp/meson.build
@@ -13,4 +13,6 @@ include_files = [
   'wren_types.hpp',
 ]
 
-install_data(sources: include_files, install_dir: 'include/wrenpp')
+if not meson.is_subproject()
+  install_data(sources: include_files, install_dir: 'include/wrenpp')
+endif
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 62f099e..8595615 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ wrenpp = library(meson.project_name(),
   'src/class_manager.cpp',
   dependencies: [wren_dep],
   include_directories: public_incl,
-  install: true,
+  install: (not meson.is_subproject() or get_option('default_library')=='shared'),
 )
 wrenpp_dep = declare_dependency(
   link_with: wrenpp,