diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2c5f01e..6c15678 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -171,6 +171,13 @@ cmake --install build/install --prefix /opt/mylib
 ```
 The `install` preset enables `CPM_USE_LOCAL_PACKAGES`, which verifies your generated Config.cmake works correctly. See the [CPM.cmake documentation](https://github.com/cpm-cmake/CPM.cmake#cpm_use_local_packages) for more about using installed packages.
 
+**Controlling installation**: The `${NAMESPACE}_INSTALL` option controls whether installation is enabled (defaults to `PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL`). Use `-D${NAMESPACE}_INSTALL=ON/OFF` to override:
+
+```bash
+cmake -DSTLAB_INSTALL=OFF -B build  # Disable install for top-level project
+cmake -DSTLAB_INSTALL=ON -B build   # Enable install for non-top-level (e.g., via CPM)
+```
+
 **Re-exporting CPM dependencies:** When re-exporting dependencies from `CPMAddPackage`, wrap them in `BUILD_INTERFACE` to avoid export errors (CPM creates non-IMPORTED targets that can't be exported):
 
 ```cmake
@@ -333,6 +340,7 @@ cpp_library_setup(
 - The project name is automatically taken from `PROJECT_NAME` (set by the `project()` command). You must call `project(your-library)` before `cpp_library_setup()`.
 - **If you specify `TESTS` or `EXAMPLES`**, call `include(CTest)` after `project()` and before `cpp_library_setup()`.
 - Version is automatically detected from git tags (see [Version Management](#version-management) for overrides).
+- Installation is controlled by the `${NAMESPACE}_INSTALL` option, which defaults to `PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL`.
 
 ### Target Naming
 
diff --git a/cmake/cpp-library-install.cmake b/cmake/cpp-library-install.cmake
index dd78ad5..374635a 100644
--- a/cmake/cpp-library-install.cmake
+++ b/cmake/cpp-library-install.cmake
@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ endfunction()
 # - Precondition: NAME, PACKAGE_NAME, VERSION, and NAMESPACE specified; target NAME exists
 # - Postcondition: install rules created for target, config files, and export with NAMESPACE:: prefix
 # - Supports header-only (INTERFACE) and compiled libraries, uses SameMajorVersion compatibility
+# - Installation can be controlled via ${NAMESPACE}_INSTALL option (defaults to PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL)
 function(_cpp_library_setup_install)
     set(oneValueArgs
         NAME            # Target name (e.g., "stlab-enum-ops")
@@ -422,10 +423,6 @@ function(_cpp_library_setup_install)
     
     cmake_parse_arguments(ARG "" "${oneValueArgs}" "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN})
     
-    # Include required CMake modules (deferred from top-level to avoid requiring project() before include)
-    include(GNUInstallDirs)
-    include(CMakePackageConfigHelpers)
-    
     # Validate required arguments
     if(NOT ARG_NAME)
         message(FATAL_ERROR "_cpp_library_setup_install: NAME is required")
@@ -440,6 +437,22 @@ function(_cpp_library_setup_install)
         message(FATAL_ERROR "_cpp_library_setup_install: NAMESPACE is required")
     endif()
     
+    # Define installation option with PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL as default
+    # This allows explicit control: -D${NAMESPACE}_INSTALL=ON/OFF
+    # Upper-case the namespace for the option name
+    string(TOUPPER "${ARG_NAMESPACE}" NAMESPACE_UPPER)
+    option(${NAMESPACE_UPPER}_INSTALL "Enable installation of ${ARG_PACKAGE_NAME}" ${PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL})
+    
+    # Check if installation is enabled
+    if(NOT ${NAMESPACE_UPPER}_INSTALL)
+        message(STATUS "cpp-library: Installation disabled for ${ARG_PACKAGE_NAME} (${NAMESPACE_UPPER}_INSTALL=OFF)")
+        return()
+    endif()
+    
+    # Include required CMake modules (deferred from top-level to avoid requiring project() before include)
+    include(GNUInstallDirs)
+    include(CMakePackageConfigHelpers)
+    
     # Install the library target
     # For header-only libraries (INTERFACE), this installs the target metadata
     # For compiled libraries, this installs the library files and headers
diff --git a/cmake/cpp-library-setup.cmake b/cmake/cpp-library-setup.cmake
index ebecfd6..651db62 100644
--- a/cmake/cpp-library-setup.cmake
+++ b/cmake/cpp-library-setup.cmake
@@ -119,16 +119,15 @@ function(_cpp_library_setup_core)
         endif()
     endif()
     
-    # Setup installation when building as top-level project
-    if(ARG_TOP_LEVEL)
-        _cpp_library_setup_install(
-            NAME "${ARG_NAME}"
-            PACKAGE_NAME "${ARG_PACKAGE_NAME}"
-            VERSION "${ARG_VERSION}"
-            NAMESPACE "${ARG_NAMESPACE}"
-            HEADERS "${ARG_HEADERS}"
-        )
-    endif()
+    # Setup installation (controlled by ${NAMESPACE}_INSTALL option, defaults to PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL)
+    # The option is defined and checked inside _cpp_library_setup_install()
+    _cpp_library_setup_install(
+        NAME "${ARG_NAME}"
+        PACKAGE_NAME "${ARG_PACKAGE_NAME}"
+        VERSION "${ARG_VERSION}"
+        NAMESPACE "${ARG_NAMESPACE}"
+        HEADERS "${ARG_HEADERS}"
+    )
 
 endfunction()