diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 7a7cb63f6..296fa8b5c 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ build-poet:       # This job runs in the build stage, which runs first.
   stage: build
   script:
     - mkdir -p build && cd build
-    - cmake -DPOET_ENABLE_TESTING=ON ..
+    - cmake -DPOET_ENABLE_TESTING=ON -DPOET_PREPROCESS_BENCHS=OFF ..
     - make -j$(nproc)
   cache: 
     key: build-$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f2f4434bf..ce0382d45 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,7 +20,12 @@ find_package(MPI REQUIRED)
 find_package(RRuntime REQUIRED)
 
 add_subdirectory(src)
-add_subdirectory(bench)
+
+option(POET_PREPROCESS_BENCHS "Preprocess benchmarks" ON)
+
+if (POET_PREPROCESS_BENCHS)
+  add_subdirectory(bench)
+endif()
 
 # as tug will also pull in doctest as a dependency
 set(TUG_ENABLE_TESTING OFF CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e6535ed5f..e1e9f6b03 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ following available options:
 - **POET_PHT_ADDITIONAL_INFO**=_boolean_ - enabling the count of accesses to one
   PHT bucket. Use with caution, as things will get slowed down significantly.
   Defaults to _OFF_.
+- **POET_PREPROCESS_BENCHS**=*boolean* - enables the preprocessing of predefined
+  models/benchmarks. Defaults to *ON*.
   
 ### Example: Build from scratch