diff --git a/gtk/meson.build b/gtk/meson.build
index 06f3c943bc..e1b1a268ec 100644
--- a/gtk/meson.build
+++ b/gtk/meson.build
@@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ foreach l: immodules
   cond = l.get(2, true)
   cflags = l.get(3, [])
 
-  if cond and (builtin_immodules.contains(name) or builtin_all_immodules)
+  if cond and builtin_immodules
     mod = static_library('staticimmodule-@0@'.format(name),
                          sources + gtk_dep_sources,
                          dependencies: gtk_deps + [libgdk_dep] ,
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 3411e3a046..538abb378c 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -468,8 +468,6 @@ else
   cdata.set_quoted('ISO_CODES_PREFIX', get_option('prefix'))
 endif
 
-backend_immodules = []
-
 pc_gdk_extra_libs = []
 
 cairo_found_type = cairo_dep.type_name()
@@ -525,7 +523,6 @@ if wayland_enabled
   wlprotocolsdep = dependency('wayland-protocols', version: wayland_proto_req)
   wlcursordep    = dependency('wayland-cursor', version: wayland_req)
   wlegldep       = dependency('wayland-egl')
-  backend_immodules += ['wayland']
 
   wayland_pkgs = [
     'wayland-client', wayland_req,
@@ -551,8 +548,6 @@ if x11_enabled
   fontconfig_dep = dependency('fontconfig', fallback: ['fontconfig', 'fontconfig_dep'])
   atkbridge_dep  = dependency('atk-bridge-2.0', version: atk_req)
 
-  backend_immodules += ['xim']
-
   x11_pkgs = ['fontconfig', 'x11', 'xext', 'xi', 'xrandr']
 
   if xcursor_dep.found()
@@ -623,12 +618,10 @@ endif
 
 if broadway_enabled
   pc_gdk_extra_libs += ['-lz']
-  backend_immodules += ['broadway']
 endif
 
 if quartz_enabled
   pc_gdk_extra_libs += ['-framework Cocoa', '-framework Carbon', '-framework CoreGraphics']
-  backend_immodules += ['quartz']
 endif
 
 extra_demo_ldflags = []
@@ -643,7 +636,6 @@ if win32_enabled
     pc_gdk_extra_libs += ['-Wl,-luuid']
   endif
   pc_gdk_extra_libs += ['-lwinmm', '-ldwmapi', '-lsetupapi', '-lcfgmgr32']
-  backend_immodules += ['ime']
 
 # Check whether libepoxy is built with EGL support on Windows
   win32_has_egl = cc.links(
@@ -662,30 +654,20 @@ endif
 
 # IMModules stuff-unfortunately we need to put items here
 # as they can be built as modules or built directly into GTK
-builtin_all_immodules = false
-
 builtin_modules_opt = get_option('builtin_immodules')
-builtin_immodules = []
-
-if builtin_modules_opt == ''
+if builtin_modules_opt == 'auto'
   if os_win32
     # Current MSVC projects build all immodules directly into GTK by default,
     # as does the mingw autotools build
     message('IMModules are built into GTK for MSVC builds by default')
-    builtin_immodules = ['all']
+    builtin_immodules = true
   else
-    builtin_immodules = ['none']
+    builtin_immodules = false
   endif
+elif builtin_modules_opt == 'yes'
+  builtin_immodules = true
 else
-  builtin_immodules = builtin_modules_opt.split(',')
-endif
-
-if builtin_immodules.contains('none')
-  builtin_immodules = []
-elif builtin_immodules.contains('all')
-  builtin_all_immodules = true
-elif builtin_immodules.contains('backend')
-  builtin_immodules += backend_immodules
+  builtin_immodules = false
 endif
 
 proto_sources = [
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 7a0e7aa592..5b30c29aa6 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -39,5 +39,5 @@ option('tests', type: 'boolean', value: 'true',
   description : 'Build tests')
 
 # input modules
-option('builtin_immodules', type: 'string',
-       value: '', description: 'Build specified immodules into GTK so/DLL (comma-separated list), "all", "none" or "backend"')
+option('builtin_immodules', type: 'combo', choices : ['yes', 'no', 'auto'],
+       value: 'auto', description: 'Build immodules into GTK so/DLL')
diff --git a/modules/input/meson.build b/modules/input/meson.build
index 0e8ea9ec2c..09625a93c1 100644
--- a/modules/input/meson.build
+++ b/modules/input/meson.build
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ foreach l: immodules
   cond = l.get(2, true)
   cflags = l.get(3, [])
 
-  if cond and not (builtin_immodules.contains(name) or builtin_all_immodules)
+  if cond and not builtin_immodules
     shared_module('im-@0@'.format(name),
                   immod_sources,
                   c_args: common_cflags + cflags,