diff --git a/ci/travis_before_script_cpp.sh b/ci/travis_before_script_cpp.sh
index a38a0dc1328..3a1836ca3a4 100755
--- a/ci/travis_before_script_cpp.sh
+++ b/ci/travis_before_script_cpp.sh
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ pushd $ARROW_CPP_BUILD_DIR
 
 CMAKE_COMMON_FLAGS="\
 -DARROW_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=ON \
--DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$ARROW_CPP_INSTALL
+-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$ARROW_CPP_INSTALL \
+-DARROW_PLASMA=ON \
 -DARROW_NO_DEPRECATED_API=ON"
 CMAKE_LINUX_FLAGS=""
 CMAKE_OSX_FLAGS=""
diff --git a/ci/travis_script_python.sh b/ci/travis_script_python.sh
index b82653dfb01..85855276abe 100755
--- a/ci/travis_script_python.sh
+++ b/ci/travis_script_python.sh
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ function build_arrow_libraries() {
   cmake -DARROW_BUILD_TESTS=off \
         -DARROW_PYTHON=on \
         -DPLASMA_PYTHON=on \
+        -DARROW_PLASMA=on \
         -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$2 \
         $CPP_DIR
 
diff --git a/cpp/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index 0897e99ae06..5ba56e59632 100644
--- a/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ if("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}" STREQUAL "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}")
   option(ARROW_RPATH_ORIGIN
     "Build Arrow libraries with RATH set to \$ORIGIN"
     OFF)
+
+  option(ARROW_PLASMA
+    "Build the plasma object store along with Arrow"
+    OFF)
 endif()
 
 if(ARROW_BUILD_TESTS)
@@ -1013,11 +1017,13 @@ if(FLATBUFFERS_VENDORED)
   set(ARROW_DEPENDENCIES ${ARROW_DEPENDENCIES} flatbuffers_ep)
 endif()
 
-if(NOT WIN32)
+if(NOT WIN32 AND ARROW_PLASMA)
   add_subdirectory(src/plasma)
 endif()
+
 add_subdirectory(src/arrow)
 add_subdirectory(src/arrow/io)
+
 if (ARROW_IPC)
   add_subdirectory(src/arrow/ipc)
   set(ARROW_DEPENDENCIES ${ARROW_DEPENDENCIES} metadata_fbs)