diff --git a/docs.bzl b/docs.bzl
index 954d24103..f4ba4576f 100644
--- a/docs.bzl
+++ b/docs.bzl
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def _missing_requirements(deps):
         fail(msg)
     fail("This case should be unreachable?!")
 
-def docs(source_dir = "docs", data = [], deps = [], scan_code = [], known_good = None, metamodel = None):
+def docs(source_dir = "docs", data = [], deps = [], scan_code = [], known_good = None, metamodel = None, plantuml = True):
     """Creates all targets related to documentation.
 
     By using this function, you'll get any and all updates for documentation targets in one place.
@@ -138,6 +138,10 @@ def docs(source_dir = "docs", data = [], deps = [], scan_code = [], known_good =
       known_good: Optional label to a "known good" JSON file for source links.
       metamodel: Optional label to a metamodel.yaml file. When set, the extension loads this
                  file instead of the default metamodel shipped with score_metamodel.
+      plantuml: Whether to include PlantUML support. Requires Java. Defaults to True.
+                Set to False to skip the PlantUML dependency entirely.
+                Note: this only makes sense if you do not use any Java at all
+                (rules_java pulls Java only if a Java target is in the dependency graph).
     """
 
     call_path = native.package_name()
@@ -155,10 +159,15 @@ def docs(source_dir = "docs", data = [], deps = [], scan_code = [], known_good =
 
     module_deps = deps
     deps = deps + _missing_requirements(deps)
-    deps = deps + [
-        "@score_docs_as_code//src:plantuml_for_python",
-        "@score_docs_as_code//src/extensions/score_sphinx_bundle:score_sphinx_bundle",
-    ]
+
+    if plantuml:
+        plantuml_dep = ["@score_docs_as_code//src:plantuml_for_python"]
+        plantuml_env = {"SCORE_PLANTUML_ENABLED": "1"}
+    else:
+        plantuml_dep = []
+        plantuml_env = {"SCORE_PLANTUML_ENABLED": "0"}
+
+    deps = deps + plantuml_dep + ["@score_docs_as_code//src/extensions/score_sphinx_bundle:score_sphinx_bundle"]
 
     sphinx_build_binary(
         name = "sphinx_build",
@@ -205,12 +214,13 @@ def docs(source_dir = "docs", data = [], deps = [], scan_code = [], known_good =
         "SOURCE_DIRECTORY": source_dir,
         "DATA": str(data),
         "SCORE_SOURCELINKS": "$(location :sourcelinks_json)",
-    } | metamodel_env
+    } | metamodel_env | plantuml_env
     docs_sources_env = {
         "SOURCE_DIRECTORY": source_dir,
         "DATA": str(data_with_docs_sources),
         "SCORE_SOURCELINKS": "$(location :merged_sourcelinks)",
-    } | metamodel_env
+    } | metamodel_env | plantuml_env
+
     if known_good:
         docs_env["KNOWN_GOOD_JSON"] = "$(location "+ known_good + ")"
         docs_sources_env["KNOWN_GOOD_JSON"] = "$(location "+ known_good + ")"
diff --git a/src/extensions/score_plantuml.py b/src/extensions/score_plantuml.py
index d3d2854cb..709c046c2 100644
--- a/src/extensions/score_plantuml.py
+++ b/src/extensions/score_plantuml.py
@@ -53,13 +53,17 @@ def find_correct_path(runfiles: Path) -> Path:
 
 
 def setup(app: Sphinx):
-    # we must overwrite the plantuml path due to Bazel
-    app.config.plantuml = str(find_correct_path(get_runfiles_dir()))
-    config_setdefault(app.config, "plantuml_output_format", "svg_obj")
-    config_setdefault(app.config, "plantuml_syntax_error_image", True)
-    config_setdefault(app.config, "needs_build_needumls", "_plantuml_sources")
+    plantuml_path = find_correct_path(get_runfiles_dir())
+    if not plantuml_path.exists():
+        logger.debug("PlantUML binary not found in runfiles, skipping PlantUML setup")
+    else:
+        # we must overwrite the plantuml path due to Bazel
+        app.config.plantuml = str(plantuml_path)
+        config_setdefault(app.config, "plantuml_output_format", "svg_obj")
+        config_setdefault(app.config, "plantuml_syntax_error_image", True)
+        config_setdefault(app.config, "needs_build_needumls", "_plantuml_sources")
 
-    logger.debug(f"PlantUML binary found at {app.config.plantuml}")
+        logger.debug(f"PlantUML binary found at {app.config.plantuml}")
 
     # The extension is not even active at runtime.
     return {"parallel_read_safe": True, "parallel_write_safe": True}
diff --git a/src/extensions/score_sphinx_bundle/__init__.py b/src/extensions/score_sphinx_bundle/__init__.py
index 6ae04008b..44af00304 100644
--- a/src/extensions/score_sphinx_bundle/__init__.py
+++ b/src/extensions/score_sphinx_bundle/__init__.py
@@ -10,16 +10,23 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 # *******************************************************************************
+import os
+
 from sphinx.application import Sphinx
 
 from src.helper_lib import config_setdefault
 
+# Is PlantUML support enabled? Defaults to True to avoid any problems.
+_plantuml_enabled = os.environ.get("SCORE_PLANTUML_ENABLED", "1") != "0"
+
 # Note: order matters!
 # Extensions are loaded in this order.
 # e.g. plantuml MUST be loaded before sphinx-needs
-score_extensions = [
-    "sphinxcontrib.plantuml",
-    "score_plantuml",
+plantuml_extensions = (
+    ["sphinxcontrib.plantuml", "score_plantuml"] if _plantuml_enabled else []
+)
+
+score_extensions = plantuml_extensions + [
     "sphinx_needs",
     "score_metamodel",
     "sphinx_design",