diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 739b249a8..cce2d74db 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -353,8 +353,16 @@ if have_tests
   meta_dbus_runner = find_program('src/tests/meta-dbus-runner.py')
   default_test_wrappers = [
     meta_dbus_runner,
+    '--',
   ]
 
+  if get_option('catch')
+    catch = find_program('catch')
+    default_test_wrappers += [
+      catch,
+    ]
+  endif
+
   add_test_setup('default',
     is_default: true,
     exe_wrapper: default_test_wrappers,
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index da755393c..61b99d9e0 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -206,3 +206,9 @@ option('xwayland_initfd',
   value: 'auto',
   description: 'Whether -initfd argument is passed to Xwayland to guarantee services (e.g. gsd-xsettings) startup before applications'
 )
+
+option('catch',
+  type: 'boolean',
+  value: false,
+  description: 'Use catch to catch backtraces'
+)
diff --git a/src/tests/kvm/meson.build b/src/tests/kvm/meson.build
index 247bdf357..973a417ab 100644
--- a/src/tests/kvm/meson.build
+++ b/src/tests/kvm/meson.build
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ endif
 
 virtme_run = find_program('virtme-run.sh')
 
+if get_option('catch')
+  kvm_wrapper = catch.full_path()
+else
+  kvm_wrapper = []
+endif
+
 foreach test_case: privileged_tests
   vm_env_entries = []
   foreach name, value: test_case['variables']
@@ -47,6 +53,7 @@ foreach test_case: privileged_tests
       '--kvm',
       meson.current_build_dir(),
       vm_env,
+      kvm_wrapper,
       test_case['executable'].full_path(),
     ],
     is_parallel: false,