diff --git a/coredata.py b/coredata.py
index e7d8bcdf3..177a9d0f9 100644
--- a/coredata.py
+++ b/coredata.py
@@ -55,6 +55,33 @@ class CoreData():
         self.ext_progs = {}
         self.ext_libs = {}
 
+    def get_builtin_option(self, optname):
+        if optname == 'type':
+            return self.buildtype
+        if optname == 'strip':
+            return self.strip
+        if optname == 'coverage':
+            return self.coverage
+        if optname == 'pch':
+            return self.use_pch
+        if optname == 'unity':
+            return self.unity
+        if optname == 'prefix':
+            return self.prefix
+        if optname == 'libdir':
+            return self.libdir
+        if optname == 'bindir':
+            return self.bindir
+        if optname == 'includedir':
+            return self.includedir
+        if optname == 'datadir':
+            return self.datadir
+        if optname == 'mandir':
+            return self.mandir
+        if optname == 'localedir':
+            return self.localedir
+        raise RuntimeError('Tried to get unknown builtin option %s' % optname)
+
 def load(filename):
     obj = pickle.load(open(filename, 'rb'))
     if not isinstance(obj, CoreData):
diff --git a/interpreter.py b/interpreter.py
index e2a7b16dd..a28d660ba 100644
--- a/interpreter.py
+++ b/interpreter.py
@@ -932,6 +932,10 @@ class Interpreter():
             raise InterpreterException('Argument of get_option must be a string.')
         if self.subproject != '':
             optname = self.subproject + '-' + optname
+        try:
+            return self.environment.get_coredata().get_builtin_option(optname)
+        except RuntimeError:
+            pass
         if optname not in self.environment.coredata.user_options:
             raise InterpreterException('Tried to access unknown option "%s".' % optname)
         return self.environment.coredata.user_options[optname].value
diff --git a/test cases/common/47 options/meson.build b/test cases/common/47 options/meson.build
index 6604d8a3f..796c27f65 100644
--- a/test cases/common/47 options/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/common/47 options/meson.build	
@@ -11,3 +11,7 @@ endif
 if get_option('combo_opt') != 'combo'
   error('Incorrect value to combo option.')
 endif
+
+if get_option('includedir') != 'include'
+  error('Incorrect value in builtin option.')
+endif