diff --git a/gio/tests/meson.build b/gio/tests/meson.build
index 41770e47c..85d31d622 100644
--- a/gio/tests/meson.build
+++ b/gio/tests/meson.build
@@ -79,12 +79,11 @@ test_extra_programs = [
   ['gdbus-testserver'],
 ]
 
-test_env = [
-  'G_TEST_SRCDIR=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
-  'G_TEST_BUILDDIR=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
-  'GIO_MODULE_DIR=',
-  'GIO_LAUNCH_DESKTOP=' + meson.build_root() + '/gio/gio-launch-desktop',
-]
+test_env = environment()
+test_env.set('G_TEST_SRCDIR', meson.current_source_dir())
+test_env.set('G_TEST_BUILDDIR', meson.current_build_dir())
+test_env.set('GIO_MODULE_DIR', '')
+test_env.set('GIO_LAUNCH_DESKTOP', meson.build_root() + '/gio/gio-launch-desktop')
 
 test_c_args = [
   '-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="GLib-GIO"',
diff --git a/glib/tests/meson.build b/glib/tests/meson.build
index a2c6973a0..f5c0fbecb 100644
--- a/glib/tests/meson.build
+++ b/glib/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,201 +1,186 @@
-glib_tests = [
-  'array-test',
-  'asyncqueue',
-  'base64',
-  'bitlock',
-  'bookmarkfile',
-  'bytes',
-  'cache',
-  'charset',
-  'checksum',
-  'collate',
-  'cond',
-  'convert',
-  'dataset',
-  'date',
-  'dir',
-  'environment',
-  'error',
-  'fileutils',
-  'gdatetime',
-  'guuid',
-  'gvariant',
-  'hash',
-  'hmac',
-  'hook',
-  'hostutils',
-  'keyfile',
-  'list',
-  'logging',
-  'mainloop',
-  'mappedfile',
-  'markup',
-  'markup-parse',
-  'markup-collect',
-  'markup-escape',
-  'markup-subparser',
-  'mem-overflow',
-  'mutex',
-  'node',
-  'once',
-  'option-context',
-  'option-argv0',
-  'overflow',
-  # overflow-fallback handled separately below
-  'pattern',
-  'private',
-  'protocol',
-  'queue',
-  'rand',
-  'rcbox',
-  'rec-mutex',
-  'refcount',
-  'refcount-macro',
-  'refstring',
-  'regex',
-  'rwlock',
-  'scannerapi',
-  'search-utils',
-  'sequence',
-  'shell',
-  'slice',
-  'slist',
-  'sort',
-  'spawn-multithreaded',
-  'spawn-singlethread',
-  'strfuncs',
-  'string',
-  'testing',
-  'test-printf',
-  'thread',
-  'timeout',
-  'timer',
-  'tree',
-  'utf8-performance',
-  'utf8-pointer',
-  'utf8-validate',
-  'utf8-misc',
-  'utils',
-  'unicode',
-  'uri',
-  '1bit-mutex',
-  '642026',
-]
+glib_tests = {
+  'array-test' : {},
+  'asyncqueue' : {},
+  'atomic' : {
+    'c_args' : cc.get_id() == 'gcc' ? ['-Wstrict-aliasing=2'] : [],
+  },
+  'autoptr' : {
+    'skip' : cc.get_id() == 'msvc',
+  },
+  'base64' : {},
+  'bitlock' : {},
+  'bookmarkfile' : {},
+  'bytes' : {},
+  'cache' : {},
+  'charset' : {},
+  'checksum' : {},
+  'collate' : {},
+  'cond' : {},
+  'convert' : {},
+  'dataset' : {},
+  'date' : {},
+  'dir' : {},
+  'environment' : {},
+  'error' : {},
+  'fileutils' : {},
+  'gdatetime' : {},
+  'guuid' : {},
+  'gvariant' : {
+    'suite' : ['slow'],
+  },
+  'gwakeup' : {
+    'source' : ['gwakeuptest.c', '../gwakeup.c'],
+    'install' : false,
+  },
+  'gwakeup-fallback' : {
+    'skip' : not glib_conf.has('HAVE_EVENTFD'),
+    'source' : ['gwakeuptest.c', '../gwakeup.c'],
+    'c_args' : ['-DTEST_EVENTFD_FALLBACK'],
+    'install' : false,
+  },
+  'hash' : {},
+  'hmac' : {},
+  'hook' : {},
+  'hostutils' : {},
+  'include' : {
+    'skip' : host_machine.system() == 'windows',
+  },
+  'keyfile' : {},
+  'list' : {},
+  'logging' : {},
+  'mainloop' : {},
+  'mappedfile' : {},
+  'markup' : {},
+  'markup-parse' : {},
+  'markup-collect' : {},
+  'markup-escape' : {},
+  'markup-subparser' : {},
+  'mem-overflow' : {},
+  'mutex' : {},
+  'node' : {},
+  'once' : {},
+  'option-context' : {},
+  'option-argv0' : {},
+  'overflow' : {},
+  'overflow-fallback' : {
+    'source' : 'overflow.c',
+    'c_args' : ['-D_GLIB_TEST_OVERFLOW_FALLBACK'],
+  },
+  'pattern' : {},
+  'private' : {},
+  'protocol' : {},
+  'queue' : {},
+  'rand' : {},
+  'rcbox' : {},
+  'rec-mutex' : {},
+  'refcount' : {},
+  'refcount-macro' : {
+    'source' : 'refcount.c',
+    'c_args' : ['-DG_DISABLE_CHECKS'],
+  },
+  'refstring' : {},
+  'regex' : {
+    'dependencies' : [pcre],
+    'c_args' : use_pcre_static_flag ? ['-DPCRE_STATIC'] : [],
+  },
+  'rwlock' : {},
+  'scannerapi' : {},
+  'search-utils' : {},
+  'sequence' : {
+    'suite' : ['slow'],
+  },
+  'shell' : {},
+  'slice' : {},
+  'slist' : {},
+  'sort' : {},
+  'spawn-multithreaded' : {},
+  'spawn-singlethread' : {},
+  'strfuncs' : {},
+  'string' : {},
+  'testing' : {},
+  'test-printf' : {},
+  'thread' : {},
+  'timeout' : {},
+  'timer' : {},
+  'tree' : {},
+  'utf8-performance' : {},
+  'utf8-pointer' : {},
+  'utf8-validate' : {},
+  'utf8-misc' : {},
+  'utils' : {},
+  'unicode' : {},
+  'unix' : {
+    'skip' : host_machine.system() == 'windows',
+  },
+  'uri' : {},
+  '1bit-mutex' : {},
+  '1bit-emufutex' : {
+    'source' : '1bit-mutex.c',
+    'c_args' : ['-DTEST_EMULATED_FUTEX'],
+    'install' : false,
+  },
+  '642026' : {
+    'suite' : ['slow'],
+  },
+  '642026-ec' : {
+    'source' : '642026.c',
+    'c_args' : ['-DG_ERRORCHECK_MUTEXES'],
+    'suite' : ['slow'],
+  },
+}
 
-if host_machine.system() != 'windows'
-  glib_tests += [ 'unix', 'include' ]
-endif
-
-if cc.get_id() != 'msvc'
-  glib_tests += [ 'autoptr' ]
-endif
-
-# FIXME: use new environment() object
 # Not entirely random of course, but at least it changes over time
 random_number = minor_version + meson.version().split('.').get(1).to_int()
 
-test_env = [
-  'G_TEST_SRCDIR=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
-  'G_TEST_BUILDDIR=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
-  'G_DEBUG=gc-friendly',
-  'MALLOC_CHECK_=2',
-  'MALLOC_PERTURB_=@0@'.format(random_number % 256),
-]
+test_env = environment()
+test_env.set('G_TEST_SRCDIR', meson.current_source_dir())
+test_env.set('G_TEST_BUILDDIR', meson.current_build_dir())
+test_env.set('G_DEBUG', 'gc-friendly')
+test_env.set('MALLOC_CHECK_', '2')
+test_env.set('MALLOC_PERTURB_', '@0@'.format(random_number % 256))
 
+test_deps = [libm, thread_dep, libglib_dep]
 test_cargs = ['-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="GLib"']
 
-# Tests that consistently time out on the CI infrastructure
-slow_tests = [
-  'gvariant',
-  'sequence',
-  '642026',
-]
+foreach test_name, extra_args : glib_tests
+  # FIXME: This condition is ugly, meson should either have 'continue'
+  # keyword (https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/3601), or support
+  # mutable to dictionaries (https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/pull/3820).
+  if not extra_args.get('skip', false)
+    source = extra_args.get('source', test_name + '.c')
+    install = installed_tests_enabled and extra_args.get('install', true)
 
-foreach test_name : glib_tests
-  deps = [libm, thread_dep, libglib_dep]
-  source = test_name + '.c'
-  c_args = test_cargs + ['-DPCRE_STATIC']
-  if test_name == 'regex'
-    deps += [pcre]
-  endif
-  if test_name == 'gdatetime'
-    deps += [libintl]
-  endif
-  # We build the refcount test twice: one to test the function-based API,
-  # and the other to test the macro-based API that is used when disabling
-  # checks
-  if test_name == 'refcount-macro'
-    source = 'refcount.c'
-    c_args += ['-DG_DISABLE_CHECKS']
-  endif
-  exe = executable(test_name, source,
-    c_args : c_args,
-    dependencies : deps,
-    install : false,
-  )
-  # These tests may take more than 30 seconds to run on the CI infrastructure
-  if slow_tests.contains(test_name)
-    test(test_name, exe, env : test_env, timeout : 120, suite : ['glib', 'slow'])
-  else
-    test(test_name, exe, env : test_env, suite : ['glib'])
+    if install
+      test_conf = configuration_data()
+      test_conf.set('installed_tests_dir', installed_tests_execdir)
+      test_conf.set('program', test_name)
+      configure_file(
+        input: installed_tests_template,
+        output: test_name + '.test',
+        install_dir: installed_tests_metadir,
+        configuration: test_conf
+      )
+    endif
+
+    exe = executable(test_name, source,
+      c_args : test_cargs + extra_args.get('c_args', []),
+      dependencies : test_deps + extra_args.get('dependencies', []),
+      install_dir: installed_tests_execdir,
+      install: install,
+    )
+
+    suite = ['glib'] + extra_args.get('suite', [])
+    timeout = suite.contains('slow') ? 120 : 30
+    test(test_name, exe, env : test_env, timeout : timeout, suite : suite)
   endif
 endforeach
 
-c_args_atomic = []
-if cc.get_id() == 'gcc'
-  c_args_atomic += ['-Wstrict-aliasing=2']
-endif
-
-deps = [libm, thread_dep, libglib_dep]
-
-exe = executable('atomic', 'atomic.c',
-  c_args : test_cargs + c_args_atomic,
-  dependencies : deps,
-)
-test('atomic', exe, env : test_env, suite : ['glib'])
-
-# FIXME: consolidate all of these into the array
-exe = executable('overflow-fallback', 'overflow.c',
-  c_args : test_cargs + ['-D_GLIB_TEST_OVERFLOW_FALLBACK'],
-  dependencies : deps,
-  install : false,
-)
-test('overflow-fallback', exe, env : test_env, suite : ['glib'])
-
-exe = executable('642026-ec', '642026.c',
-  c_args : test_cargs + ['-DG_ERRORCHECK_MUTEXES'],
-  dependencies : deps,
-  install : false,
-)
-test('642026-ec', exe, env : test_env, timeout : 90, suite : ['glib', 'slow'])
-
-exe = executable('1bit-emufutex', '1bit-mutex.c',
-  c_args : test_cargs + ['-DTEST_EMULATED_FUTEX'],
-  dependencies : deps,
-  install : false,
-)
-test('1bit-emufutex', exe, env : test_env, suite : ['glib'])
-
-exe = executable('gwakeup', 'gwakeuptest.c', '../gwakeup.c',
-  c_args : test_cargs,
-  dependencies : deps,
-  install : false)
-test('gwakeup', exe, env : test_env, suite : ['glib'])
-
-if glib_conf.has('HAVE_EVENTFD')
-  exe = executable('gwakeup-fallback', 'gwakeuptest.c', '../gwakeup.c',
-    c_args : test_cargs + ['-DTEST_EVENTFD_FALLBACK'],
-    dependencies : deps,
-    install : false,
-  )
-  test('gwakeup-fallback', exe, env : test_env, suite : ['glib'])
-endif
-
 # test-spawn-echo helper binary required by the spawn tests above
 executable('test-spawn-echo', 'test-spawn-echo.c',
   c_args : test_cargs,
-  dependencies : deps,
-  install : false,
+  dependencies : test_deps,
+  install_dir: installed_tests_execdir,
+  install: installed_tests_enabled,
 )
 
 # some testing of gtester functionality
@@ -204,7 +189,6 @@ if not meson.is_cross_build() and host_system != 'windows'
   if xmllint.found()
     tmpsample_xml = custom_target('tmpsample.xml',
       output : 'tmpsample.xml',
-      build_by_default : true, # hack around meson bug, see PR #1335
       command : [ gtester, '-k', '--quiet', '-o', '@OUTPUT@',
                   '--test-arg=--gtester-selftest', gtester])
 
diff --git a/gobject/tests/meson.build b/gobject/tests/meson.build
index 252b5ecf8..53b76d3eb 100644
--- a/gobject/tests/meson.build
+++ b/gobject/tests/meson.build
@@ -20,18 +20,16 @@ gobject_tests = [
   'ifaceproperties',
 ]
 
-# FIXME: use new environment() object
 # FIXME: put common bits of test environment() in one location
 # Not entirely random of course, but at least it changes over time
 random_number = minor_version + meson.version().split('.').get(1).to_int()
 
-test_env = [
-  'G_TEST_SRCDIR=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
-  'G_TEST_BUILDDIR=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
-  'G_DEBUG=gc-friendly',
-  'MALLOC_CHECK_=2',
-  'MALLOC_PERTURB_=@0@'.format(random_number % 256),
-]
+test_env = environment()
+test_env.set('G_TEST_SRCDIR', meson.current_source_dir())
+test_env.set('G_TEST_BUILDDIR', meson.current_build_dir())
+test_env.set('G_DEBUG', 'gc-friendly')
+test_env.set('MALLOC_CHECK_', '2')
+test_env.set('MALLOC_PERTURB_', '@0@'.format(random_number % 256))
 
 foreach test_name : gobject_tests
   deps = [libm, thread_dep, libglib_dep, libgobject_dep]
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index fa7357d40..15f895e7f 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ gioinc = include_directories('gio')
 glib_prefix = get_option('prefix')
 glib_bindir = join_paths(glib_prefix, get_option('bindir'))
 glib_libdir = join_paths(glib_prefix, get_option('libdir'))
+glib_libexecdir = join_paths(glib_prefix, get_option('libexecdir'))
 glib_datadir = join_paths(glib_prefix, get_option('datadir'))
 glib_pkgdatadir = join_paths(glib_datadir, 'glib-2.0')
 glib_includedir = join_paths(glib_prefix, get_option('includedir'))
@@ -66,6 +67,11 @@ endif
 
 glib_pkgconfigreldir = join_paths(glib_libdir, 'pkgconfig')
 
+installed_tests_metadir = join_paths(glib_datadir, 'installed-tests', meson.project_name())
+installed_tests_execdir = join_paths(glib_libexecdir, 'installed-tests', meson.project_name())
+installed_tests_enabled = get_option('installed_tests')
+installed_tests_template = files('template.test.in')
+
 add_project_arguments('-D_GNU_SOURCE', language: 'c')
 
 # Disable strict aliasing;
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 5245e0a8b..64accf68b 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -78,3 +78,8 @@ option('fam',
        type : 'boolean',
        value : false,
        description : 'Use fam for file system monitoring')
+
+option('installed_tests',
+       type : 'boolean',
+       value : false,
+       description : 'enable installed tests')
diff --git a/template.test.in b/template.test.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f701627f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template.test.in
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[Test]
+Type=session
+Exec=@installed_tests_dir@/@program@
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index 03997a634..3beb4c68a 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 # tests
 
-test_env = [
-  'G_TEST_SRCDIR=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
-  'G_TEST_BUILDDIR=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
-  'G_DEBUG=gc-friendly',
-  'MALLOC_CHECK_=2',
-]
+test_env = environment()
+test_env.set('G_TEST_SRCDIR', meson.current_source_dir())
+test_env.set('G_TEST_BUILDDIR', meson.current_build_dir())
+test_env.set('G_DEBUG', 'gc-friendly')
+test_env.set('MALLOC_CHECK_', '2')
 
 test_cargs = ['-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="GLib"']