diff --git a/externals/CMakeLists.txt b/externals/CMakeLists.txt
index d7cf35f3b..db8de43a7 100644
--- a/externals/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/externals/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -50,15 +50,17 @@ else()
 endif()
 
 # Catch2
-add_library(catch2 INTERFACE)
-if(USE_SYSTEM_CATCH2)
-    find_package(Catch2 3.0.0 REQUIRED)
-else()
-    set(CATCH_INSTALL_DOCS OFF CACHE BOOL "")
-    set(CATCH_INSTALL_EXTRAS OFF CACHE BOOL "")
-    add_subdirectory(catch2)
+if (ENABLE_TESTS)
+    add_library(catch2 INTERFACE)
+    if(USE_SYSTEM_CATCH2)
+        find_package(Catch2 3.0.0 REQUIRED)
+    else()
+        set(CATCH_INSTALL_DOCS OFF CACHE BOOL "")
+        set(CATCH_INSTALL_EXTRAS OFF CACHE BOOL "")
+        add_subdirectory(catch2)
+    endif()
+    target_link_libraries(catch2 INTERFACE Catch2::Catch2WithMain)
 endif()
-target_link_libraries(catch2 INTERFACE Catch2::Catch2WithMain)
 
 # Crypto++
 if(USE_SYSTEM_CRYPTOPP)