diff --git a/Kconfig b/Kconfig
index 837b2f517a..1a132f90e4 100644
--- a/Kconfig
+++ b/Kconfig
@@ -422,6 +422,14 @@ config SYS_SRAM_SIZE
 	default 0x10000 if TARGET_TRICORDER
 	default 0x0
 
+config EXAMPLES
+	bool "Compile API examples"
+	depends on !SANDBOX
+	default y if ARCH_QEMU
+	help
+	  U-Boot provides an API for standalone applications. Examples are
+	  provided in directory examples/.
+
 endmenu		# General setup
 
 menu "Boot images"
diff --git a/examples/Makefile b/examples/Makefile
index d440bc5655..bf518bd221 100644
--- a/examples/Makefile
+++ b/examples/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
 
-ifndef CONFIG_SANDBOX
+ifdef CONFIG_EXAMPLES
 
 ifdef FTRACE
 subdir-ccflags-y += -finstrument-functions -DFTRACE