diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b51caf8..4291eb0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -160,8 +160,14 @@ else ()
     message(STATUS "Using std::fstream for NativeFileStream")
 endif ()
 
-# configure required libraries for std::filestream
-use_standard_filesystem()
+# configure required libraries for std::filesystem
+option(USE_STANDARD_FILESYSTEM "uses std::filesystem; if disabled Bash completion for files and directories is not working" ON)
+if (USE_STANDARD_FILESYSTEM)
+    list(APPEND META_PRIVATE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS ${META_PROJECT_VARNAME}_USE_STANDARD_FILESYSTEM)
+    use_standard_filesystem()
+else ()
+    message(WARNING "The use of std::filesystem has been disabled. Bash completion for files and directories will not work.")
+endif ()
 
 # configure forcing UTF-8 code page under Windows
 option(FORCE_UTF8_CODEPAGE "forces use of UTF-8 code page under Windows via ApplicationUtilities::startConsole()" OFF)
diff --git a/application/argumentparser.cpp b/application/argumentparser.cpp
index 210ca0e..06fbe31 100644
--- a/application/argumentparser.cpp
+++ b/application/argumentparser.cpp
@@ -12,12 +12,15 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstring>
-#include <filesystem>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <set>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 
+#ifdef CPP_UTILITIES_USE_STANDARD_FILESYSTEM
+#include <filesystem>
+#endif
+
 using namespace std;
 using namespace std::placeholders;
 using namespace std::literals;
@@ -1484,6 +1487,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::printBashCompletion(int argc, const char *const *argv, unsi
     }
 
     // -> completion for files and dirs
+#ifdef CPP_UTILITIES_USE_STANDARD_FILESYSTEM
     if (completionInfo.completeFiles || completionInfo.completeDirs) {
         using namespace std::filesystem;
         const auto replace = "'"s, with = "'\"'\"'"s;
@@ -1520,6 +1524,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::printBashCompletion(int argc, const char *const *argv, unsi
             haveFileOrDirCompletions = true;
         }
     }
+#endif
     cout << ')';
 
     // ensure file or dir completions are formatted appropriately
diff --git a/tests/argumentparsertests.cpp b/tests/argumentparsertests.cpp
index 3d891ba..e4ae5c7 100644
--- a/tests/argumentparsertests.cpp
+++ b/tests/argumentparsertests.cpp
@@ -659,9 +659,13 @@ void ArgumentParserTests::testBashCompletion()
     parser.resetArgs();
     const char *const argv5[] = { "get", "--files", iniFilePath.c_str() };
     {
+#ifdef CPP_UTILITIES_USE_STANDARD_FILESYSTEM
         // order for file names is not specified
         const OutputCheck c("COMPREPLY=('" % mkvFilePath % " '\"'\"'with quote'\"'\"'.mkv' '" % iniFilePath + ".ini' ); compopt -o filenames\n",
             "COMPREPLY=('" % iniFilePath % ".ini' '" % mkvFilePath + " '\"'\"'with quote'\"'\"'.mkv' ); compopt -o filenames\n");
+#else
+        const OutputCheck c("COMPREPLY=()\n");
+#endif
         reader.reset(argv5, argv5 + 3).read();
         parser.printBashCompletion(3, argv5, 2, reader);
     }
@@ -672,8 +676,12 @@ void ArgumentParserTests::testBashCompletion()
     parser.resetArgs();
     const char *const argv14[] = { "get", "--files", directoryPath.c_str() };
     {
+#ifdef CPP_UTILITIES_USE_STANDARD_FILESYSTEM
         // order for file names is not specified
         const OutputCheck c("COMPREPLY=('" % directoryPath + "subdir' ); compopt -o filenames\n");
+#else
+        const OutputCheck c("COMPREPLY=()\n");
+#endif
         reader.reset(argv14, argv14 + 3).read();
         parser.printBashCompletion(3, argv14, 2, reader);
     }