diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37d2fa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "dist/identiconpp"]
+	path = dist/identiconpp
+	url = https://schlomp.space/tastytea/identiconpp
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6e72547..efab4e1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
 
+# project build option
+option(LIBRAVATAR_BUNDLED_IDENTICONPP "use bundled identiconpp" NO)
+
 project(libravatarserv
   VERSION 0.8.0
   DESCRIPTION "A simple libravatar server."
@@ -23,7 +26,12 @@ if(NOT libcryptopp_FOUND)
   # Debian stretch package installs libcrypto++.pc
   pkg_check_modules(libcryptopp REQUIRED IMPORTED_TARGET libcrypto++)
 endif()
-find_package(identiconpp REQUIRED CONFIG)
+if (LIBRAVATAR_BUNDLED_IDENTICONPP)
+  add_subdirectory(dist/identiconpp)
+else()
+  find_package(identiconpp REQUIRED CONFIG)
+endif()
+
 find_package(Filesystem REQUIRED COMPONENTS Final Experimental)
 
 add_subdirectory(src)
diff --git a/dist/identiconpp b/dist/identiconpp
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..9070f15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dist/identiconpp
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 9070f154a462abab5edca7b9050ce4f4893d3999