diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 184dfa3..8aa70df 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ set(META_APP_URL "https://github.com/${META_APP_AUTHOR}/${META_PROJECT_NAME}")
 set(META_APP_DESCRIPTION "Common C++ classes and routines used by my applications such as argument parser, IO and conversion utilities")
 set(META_VERSION_MAJOR 4)
 set(META_VERSION_MINOR 6)
-set(META_VERSION_PATCH 1)
+set(META_VERSION_PATCH 2)
 
 # find required 3rd party libraries
 include(3rdParty)
diff --git a/cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake b/cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake
index 2d8f5aa..f96abf2 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ if(TEST_CONFIG_DONE)
     message(FATAL_ERROR "Can not include TestTarget module when tests are already configured.")
 endif()
 
+option(EXCLUDE_TESTS_FROM_ALL "specifies whether to exclude tests from the \"all\" target (enabled by default)" ON)
+
 # always link test applications against c++utilities and cppunit
 find_library(CPP_UNIT_LIB cppunit)
 
@@ -27,7 +29,12 @@ if(CPP_UNIT_LIB)
     endif()
 
     # add test executable, but exclude it from the "all target"
-    add_executable(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_tests EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${TEST_HEADER_FILES} ${TEST_SRC_FILES})
+    if(EXCLUDE_TESTS_FROM_ALL)
+        set(TESTS_EXCLUSION EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
+    else()
+        unset(TESTS_EXCLUSION)
+    endif()
+    add_executable(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_tests ${TESTS_EXCLUSION} ${TEST_HEADER_FILES} ${TEST_SRC_FILES})
 
     # test applications of my projects always use c++utilities and cppunit
     if(NOT META_PROJECT_TYPE OR "${META_PROJECT_TYPE}" STREQUAL "library") # default project type is library
diff --git a/doc/buildvariables.md b/doc/buildvariables.md
index 401c076..4c9d255 100644
--- a/doc/buildvariables.md
+++ b/doc/buildvariables.md
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ None of these are enabled or set by default, unless stated otherwise.
 * `LOGGING_ENABLED=ON/OFF`: enables further loggin in some applications
 * `FORCE_OLD_ABI=ON/OFF`: forces use of old C++ ABI
   (sets `_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0`)
+* `EXCLUDE_TESTS_FROM_ALL=ON/OFF`: excludes tests from the all target
+  (enabled by default)
 
 #### Windows specific
 * `USE_NATIVE_FILE_BUFFER=ON/OFF`: use native function to open file streams