diff --git a/build/meson/tests/meson.build b/build/meson/tests/meson.build
index 09168de78..f7ba53101 100644
--- a/build/meson/tests/meson.build
+++ b/build/meson/tests/meson.build
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ FUZZER_FLAGS = ['--no-big-tests']
 FUZZERTEST = '-T200s'
 ZSTREAM_TESTTIME = '-T90s'
 DECODECORPUS_TESTTIME = '-T30'
-ZSTDRTTEST = ['--test-large-data']
 
 # =============================================================================
 # Executables
@@ -147,13 +146,25 @@ endif
 
 if host_machine_os != os_windows
   playTests_sh = find_program(join_paths(zstd_rootdir, 'tests/playTests.sh'), required: true)
-  test('test-zstd',
-    playTests_sh,
-    args: ZSTDRTTEST,
-    env: ['ZSTD_BIN=' + zstd.full_path(), 'DATAGEN_BIN=./datagen'],
-    depends: [datagen],
-    workdir: meson.current_build_dir(),
-    timeout: 2800) # Timeout should work on HDD drive
+
+  # add slow tests only if the meson version is new enough to support
+  # test setups with default-excluded suites
+  if meson.version().version_compare('>=0.57.0')
+    matrix = {'fast': [], 'slow': ['--test-large-data']}
+  else
+    matrix = {'fast': []}
+  endif
+
+  foreach suite, opt: matrix
+    test('test-zstd-'+suite,
+      playTests_sh,
+      args: opt,
+      env: ['ZSTD_BIN=' + zstd.full_path(), 'DATAGEN_BIN=./datagen'],
+      depends: [datagen],
+      suite: suite,
+      workdir: meson.current_build_dir(),
+      timeout: 2800) # Timeout should work on HDD drive
+  endforeach
 endif
 
 test('test-fullbench-1',
@@ -192,3 +203,11 @@ test('test-decodecorpus',
   args: ['-t', DECODECORPUS_TESTTIME],
   timeout: 60)
 test('test-poolTests', poolTests) # should be fast
+
+if meson.version().version_compare('>=0.57.0')
+  add_test_setup('fast',
+    is_default: true,
+    exclude_suites: ['slow'])
+  add_test_setup('slow',
+    exclude_suites: ['fast'])
+endif