diff --git a/package/gstreamer1/gst1-plugins-base/Config.in b/package/gstreamer1/gst1-plugins-base/Config.in
index f60d540337..db916ed219 100644
--- a/package/gstreamer1/gst1-plugins-base/Config.in
+++ b/package/gstreamer1/gst1-plugins-base/Config.in
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ menuconfig BR2_PACKAGE_GST1_PLUGINS_BASE
 
 if BR2_PACKAGE_GST1_PLUGINS_BASE
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_GST1_PLUGINS_BASE_INSTALL_TOOLS
+	bool "install tools"
+	help
+	  Install the gst-discoverer, gst-device-monitor and gst-play
+	  tools.
+
 comment "dependency-less plugins"
 
 config BR2_PACKAGE_GST1_PLUGINS_BASE_PLUGIN_ADDER
diff --git a/package/gstreamer1/gst1-plugins-base/gst1-plugins-base.mk b/package/gstreamer1/gst1-plugins-base/gst1-plugins-base.mk
index 1781a5d461..ccecbb3c08 100644
--- a/package/gstreamer1/gst1-plugins-base/gst1-plugins-base.mk
+++ b/package/gstreamer1/gst1-plugins-base/gst1-plugins-base.mk
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ GST1_PLUGINS_BASE_CONF_OPTS += \
 	-Dlibvisual=disabled \
 	-Diso-codes=disabled
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_GST1_PLUGINS_BASE_INSTALL_TOOLS),y)
+GST1_PLUGINS_BASE_CONF_OPTS += -Dtools=enabled
+else
+GST1_PLUGINS_BASE_CONF_OPTS += -Dtools=disabled
+endif
+
 GST1_PLUGINS_BASE_DEPENDENCIES = gstreamer1 $(TARGET_NLS_DEPENDENCIES)
 
 GST1_PLUGINS_BASE_LDFLAGS = $(TARGET_LDFLAGS) $(TARGET_NLS_LIBS)