diff --git a/media-libs/libpulse/libpulse-16.0.ebuild b/media-libs/libpulse/libpulse-16.0.ebuild
index 8065b23b30d25..2de9bf92797f4 100644
--- a/media-libs/libpulse/libpulse-16.0.ebuild
+++ b/media-libs/libpulse/libpulse-16.0.ebuild
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ S="${WORKDIR}/${MY_P}"
 LICENSE="LGPL-2.1+"
 
 SLOT="0"
-IUSE="+asyncns dbus doc +glib gtk selinux systemd tcpd test X"
+IUSE="+asyncns dbus doc +glib gtk selinux systemd tcpd test valgrind X"
 RESTRICT="!test? ( test )"
 
 # NOTE: libpcre needed in some cases, bug #472228
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ RDEPEND="
 	selinux? ( sec-policy/selinux-pulseaudio )
 	systemd? ( sys-apps/systemd:= )
 	tcpd? ( sys-apps/tcp-wrappers )
+	valgrind? ( dev-util/valgrind )
 	X? (
 		x11-libs/libX11[${MULTILIB_USEDEP}]
 		>=x11-libs/libxcb-1.6[${MULTILIB_USEDEP}]
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ multilib_src_configure() {
 		$(meson_native_use_feature systemd)
 		$(meson_native_use_feature tcpd tcpwrap)
 		-Dudev=disabled
-		-Dvalgrind=auto
+		$(meson_native_use_feature valgrind)
 		$(meson_feature X x11)
 
 		# Echo cancellation
diff --git a/media-libs/libpulse/metadata.xml b/media-libs/libpulse/metadata.xml
index afe3111f5cf9d..7e1166ebdbfdd 100644
--- a/media-libs/libpulse/metadata.xml
+++ b/media-libs/libpulse/metadata.xml
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@
     </flag>
     <flag name="asyncns">Use libasyncns for asynchronous name resolution.</flag>
     <flag name="doc">Build the doxygen-described API documentation.</flag>
+    <flag name="valgrind">Compile in valgrind memory hints</flag>
   </use>
 </pkgmetadata>