diff --git a/config/meson.build b/config/meson.build
index ab19c38..b6203b5 100644
--- a/config/meson.build
+++ b/config/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+subdir_done()
 install_data(
   'install-sh', 'missing',
   install_dir: dir_pgxs / 'config'
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 4016033..dd7ca47 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -3381,6 +3381,10 @@ test_install_libs = []
 
 subdir('src')
 
+contrib_data_dir = dir_data_extension
+
+if false # skip for vcpkg port
+
 subdir('contrib')
 
 subdir('src/test')
@@ -3924,6 +3928,7 @@ if not meson.is_subproject()
   endif
 endif
 
+endif # skip for vcpkg port libpq
 
 
 ###############################################################
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 06bf562..5505bfd 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+option('tools', type: 'feature', value: 'disabled',
+  description: 'Enable tool executables')
+
 # Copyright (c) 2022-2025, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
 
 # Data layout influencing options
diff --git a/src/backend/meson.build b/src/backend/meson.build
index 2b0db21..75d8f68 100644
--- a/src/backend/meson.build
+++ b/src/backend/meson.build
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ subdir('po', if_found: libintl)
 backend_link_args = []
 backend_link_depends = []
 
+subdir_done()
+if false # skip for vcpkg port
 
 # On windows when compiling with msvc we need to make postgres export all its
 # symbols so that extension libraries can use them. For that we need to scan
@@ -140,6 +142,8 @@ postgres = executable('postgres',
 
 backend_targets += postgres
 
+endif # skip for vcpkg port
+
 pg_mod_c_args = cflags_mod
 pg_mod_cpp_args = cxxflags_mod
 pg_mod_link_args = ldflags_sl + ldflags_mod
@@ -187,6 +191,7 @@ pg_test_mod_args = pg_mod_args + {
 }
 
 
+subdir_done()
 
 # Shared modules that, on some system, link against the server binary. Only
 # enter these after we defined the server build.
diff --git a/src/bin/meson.build b/src/bin/meson.build
index b33cb6c..b08941f 100644
--- a/src/bin/meson.build
+++ b/src/bin/meson.build
@@ -1,24 +1,13 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2022-2025, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
 
-subdir('initdb')
+# vcpkg: Reduced to documented "Client applications" (and scripts)
+# Cf. https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/reference-client.html
 subdir('pg_amcheck')
-subdir('pg_archivecleanup')
 subdir('pg_basebackup')
-subdir('pg_checksums')
 subdir('pg_combinebackup')
 subdir('pg_config')
-subdir('pg_controldata')
-subdir('pg_ctl')
 subdir('pg_dump')
-subdir('pg_resetwal')
-subdir('pg_rewind')
-subdir('pg_test_fsync')
-subdir('pg_test_timing')
-subdir('pg_upgrade')
 subdir('pg_verifybackup')
-subdir('pg_waldump')
-subdir('pg_walsummary')
 subdir('pgbench')
-subdir('pgevent')
 subdir('psql')
 subdir('scripts')
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index f098f9f..28eb09c 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -3,12 +3,18 @@
 # libraries that other subsystems might depend upon first, in their respective
 # dependency order
 
+subdir('interfaces')
+if not get_option('tools').disabled()
+
 subdir('timezone')
 
 subdir('backend')
 
 subdir('bin')
 
+endif
+subdir_done()
+
 subdir('pl')
 
 subdir('interfaces')