diff --git a/cmake/OptionVariables.cmake b/cmake/OptionVariables.cmake
index f65ac4f..0d2366a 100644
--- a/cmake/OptionVariables.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OptionVariables.cmake
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ option(CPPTRACE_SANITIZER_BUILD "" OFF)
 option(CPPTRACE_WERROR_BUILD "" OFF)
 option(CPPTRACE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE "" ON)
 option(CPPTRACE_IS_GH_ACTIONS "" OFF)
+option(CPPTRACE_USE_EXTERNAL_GTEST "" OFF)
 
 mark_as_advanced(
   CPPTRACE_BACKTRACE_PATH
@@ -179,4 +180,5 @@ mark_as_advanced(
   CPPTRACE_VCPKG
   CPPTRACE_CONDA_LIBDWARF_WEIRDNESS
   CPPTRACE_IS_GH_ACTIONS
+  CPPTRACE_USE_EXTERNAL_GTEST
 )
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 9ee7be0..785cf68 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -38,15 +38,19 @@ endif()
 
 # primarily a workaround for github actions issue https://github.com/actions/runner-images/issues/8659
 if(NOT CPPTRACE_IS_GH_ACTIONS)
-  include(FetchContent)
-  FetchContent_Declare(
-    googletest
-    GIT_REPOSITORY "https://github.com/google/googletest.git"
-    GIT_TAG        f8d7d77c06936315286eb55f8de22cd23c188571 # v1.14.0
-  )
-  # For Windows: Prevent overriding the parent project's compiler/linker settings
-  set(gtest_force_shared_crt ON CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
-  FetchContent_MakeAvailable(googletest)
+  if(CPPTRACE_USE_EXTERNAL_GTEST)
+    find_package(GTest)
+  else()
+    include(FetchContent)
+    FetchContent_Declare(
+      googletest
+      GIT_REPOSITORY "https://github.com/google/googletest.git"
+      GIT_TAG        f8d7d77c06936315286eb55f8de22cd23c188571 # v1.14.0
+    )
+    # For Windows: Prevent overriding the parent project's compiler/linker settings
+    set(gtest_force_shared_crt ON CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
+    FetchContent_MakeAvailable(googletest)
+  endif()
 
   add_executable(unittest unittest.cpp)
   target_compile_features(unittest PRIVATE cxx_std_20)