diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index c100755896..8fddbcf284 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ macos:
     - meson -Dx11-backend=false
             -Dbroadway-backend=true
             -Dmacos-backend=true
+            -Dmedia-gstreamer=disabled
             -Dintrospection=disabled
             -Dcpp_std=c++11
             -Dpixman:tests=disabled
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/test-msvc.bat b/.gitlab-ci/test-msvc.bat
index 294e9480df..c6833f0c0e 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/test-msvc.bat
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/test-msvc.bat
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ call "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\BuildTools\VC\Auxiliar
 
 :: FIXME: make warnings fatal
 pip3 install --upgrade --user meson==0.56.2  || goto :error
-meson _build || goto :error
+meson -Dmedia-gstreamer=disabled _build || goto :error
 ninja -C _build || goto :error
 
 goto :EOF
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 402caec5fb..2223cb7964 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -26,15 +26,17 @@ option('macos-backend',
        description : 'Enable the macOS gdk backend (only when building on macOS)')
 
 # Media backends
+# For distros: GTK guarantees support for WebM video (VP8 and VP9), so a supported build
+# should provide that.
 
 option('media-ffmpeg',
        type: 'feature',
-       value: 'auto',
-       description : 'Build the ffmpeg media backend')
+       value: 'disabled',
+       description : 'Build the experimental ffmpeg media backend')
 
 option('media-gstreamer',
        type: 'feature',
-       value: 'auto',
+       value: 'enabled',
        description : 'Build the gstreamer media backend')
 
 # Print backends