diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a0b810fe0e3..99538918607 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/module)
 #=============================
 # When adding a new option, end the <help_text> with a full stop for consistency.
 option(BUILD_DAEMON "Build bitcoind executable." ON)
+option(BUILD_CLI "Build bitcoin-cli executable." ON)
 
 option(WITH_CCACHE "Attempt to use ccache for compiling." ON)
 
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ target_link_libraries(core_interface INTERFACE
 include(AddBoostIfNeeded)
 add_boost_if_needed()
 
-if(BUILD_DAEMON)
+if(BUILD_DAEMON OR BUILD_CLI)
   find_package(Libevent 2.1.8 MODULE REQUIRED)
 endif()
 
@@ -228,6 +229,7 @@ message("Configure summary")
 message("=================")
 message("Executables:")
 message("  bitcoind ............................ ${BUILD_DAEMON}")
+message("  bitcoin-cli ......................... ${BUILD_CLI}")
 message("")
 message("C++ compiler .......................... ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION}, ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER}")
 include(FlagsSummary)
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 772ce88cddd..1189f2f42ce 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -262,3 +262,27 @@ if(BUILD_DAEMON)
     bitcoin_node
   )
 endif()
+
+
+add_library(bitcoin_cli STATIC EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL
+  compat/stdin.cpp
+  rpc/client.cpp
+)
+target_link_libraries(bitcoin_cli
+  PUBLIC
+    core_interface
+    univalue
+)
+
+
+# Bitcoin Core RPC client
+if(BUILD_CLI)
+  add_executable(bitcoin-cli bitcoin-cli.cpp)
+  target_link_libraries(bitcoin-cli
+    core_interface
+    bitcoin_cli
+    bitcoin_common
+    bitcoin_util
+    $<TARGET_NAME_IF_EXISTS:libevent::libevent>
+  )
+endif()