diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d22221bb..ade88629 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,6 +21,13 @@ set(NETWORK_INFORMATION_SUPPORT ON)
 project(${META_PROJECT_NAME})
 enable_testing()
 
+# disable experimental Qt Quick GUI by default except on mobile platforms
+if (ANDROID OR IOS)
+    set(QUICK_GUI_ENABLED_BY_DEFAULT ON)
+else ()
+    set(QUICK_GUI_ENABLED_BY_DEFAULT OFF)
+endif ()
+
 # disable KDE integration under Android, Windows and MacOS by default
 if(ANDROID OR WIN32 OR APPLE)
     set(FILE_ITEM_ACTION_PLUGIN_DISABLED_BY_DEFAULT ON)
@@ -54,7 +61,7 @@ option(NO_FILE_ITEM_ACTION_PLUGIN "whether building the file item action plugin
 option(NO_MODEL "whether building models should be skipped, implies NO_TRAY" OFF)
 option(NO_WIDGETS "whether building widgets should be skipped, implies NO_TRAY" OFF)
 option(NO_PLASMOID "whether building the Plasmoid for the Plasma desktop should be skipped" "${PLASMOID_DISABLED_BY_DEFAULT}")
-option(QUICK_GUI "enables/disables building the experimental Qt Quick GUI (disabled by default)" OFF)
+option(QUICK_GUI "enables/disables building the experimental Qt Quick GUI (disabled by default)" ${QUICK_GUI_ENABLED_BY_DEFAULT})
 
 # allow using non-default configuration
 set(CONFIGURATION_PACKAGE_SUFFIX "" CACHE STRING "sets the suffix for find_package() calls to packages configured via c++utilities")