diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h
index ee7d739a05ba3f..b3f7a8e30a9790 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h
@@ -17,6 +17,23 @@
 #define HAL_DISPLAY_ENABLED 1
 #endif
 
+#ifndef AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
+#define AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED HAL_DISPLAY_ENABLED
+#endif
+
+// allow boards to include only the display drivers they use
+#ifndef AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED
+#define AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
+#endif
+
+#ifndef AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
+#define AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
+#endif
+
+#ifndef AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
+#define AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED (AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED && (CONFIG_HAL_BOARD == HAL_BOARD_SITL))
+#endif
+
 #ifndef AP_NOTIFY_DRONECAN_LED_ENABLED
 #define AP_NOTIFY_DRONECAN_LED_ENABLED HAL_ENABLE_DRONECAN_DRIVERS
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display.cpp
index ed7ba0c3eea2f3..654116e803b545 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display.cpp
@@ -20,13 +20,20 @@
 
 #include "Display.h"
 
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
 #include "Display_SH1106_I2C.h"
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED
 #include "Display_SSD1306_I2C.h"
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
 #include "Display_SITL.h"
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
 
 #include "AP_Notify.h"
 
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <AP_HAL/I2CDevice.h>
 #include <AP_GPS/AP_GPS.h>
 #include <AP_BattMonitor/AP_BattMonitor.h>
 
@@ -349,14 +356,19 @@ bool Display::init(void)
     // initialise driver
     FOREACH_I2C(i) {
         switch (pNotify->_display_type) {
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED
         case DISPLAY_SSD1306: {
             _driver = probe_i2c_display(i, Display_SSD1306_I2C::probe);
             break;
         }
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
         case DISPLAY_SH1106: {
             _driver = probe_i2c_display(i, Display_SH1106_I2C::probe);
             break;
         }
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
         case DISPLAY_SITL: {
 #ifdef WITH_SITL_OSD
             _driver = Display_SITL::probe(); // never fails
@@ -365,6 +377,7 @@ bool Display::init(void)
 #endif
             break;
         }
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
         case DISPLAY_OFF:
         default:
             break;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SH1106_I2C.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SH1106_I2C.cpp
index 3ee5a3719d373a..0a49dd4dabdb5e 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SH1106_I2C.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SH1106_I2C.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  */
 #include "Display_SH1106_I2C.h"
 
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
+
 #include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL.h>
 #include <AP_HAL/Device.h>
 
@@ -128,3 +130,5 @@ void Display_SH1106_I2C::clear_screen()
 {
     memset(_displaybuffer, 0, SH1106_COLUMNS * SH1106_ROWS_PER_PAGE);
 }
+
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SH1106_I2C.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SH1106_I2C.h
index d805d814365434..9daa40315b9cae 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SH1106_I2C.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SH1106_I2C.h
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "AP_Notify_config.h"
+
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
+
 #include "Display.h"
 #include "Display_Backend.h"
 #include <AP_HAL/I2CDevice.h>
@@ -37,3 +41,5 @@ class Display_SH1106_I2C: public Display_Backend {
     bool _need_hw_update;
 
 };
+
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SH1106_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SITL.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SITL.cpp
index 0d9206d032824f..cbf4dd2891f73b 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SITL.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SITL.cpp
@@ -12,10 +12,12 @@
    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
-#ifdef WITH_SITL_OSD
-
 #include "Display_SITL.h"
 
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
+
+#ifdef WITH_SITL_OSD
+
 #include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL.h>
 #include <AP_Notify/AP_Notify.h>
 
@@ -157,3 +159,5 @@ void Display_SITL::clear_screen()
 }
 
 #endif // WITH_SITL_OSD
+
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SITL.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SITL.h
index 25bc89fc18ac0c..543fb80e5a435b 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SITL.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SITL.h
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "AP_Notify_config.h"
+
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
+
 #ifdef WITH_SITL_OSD
 
 #include "Display.h"
@@ -49,3 +53,5 @@ class Display_SITL: public Display_Backend {
 };
 
 #endif // WITH_SITL_OSD
+
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SITL_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SSD1306_I2C.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SSD1306_I2C.cpp
index 56b7e2ef159031..71228839fe0b7d 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SSD1306_I2C.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SSD1306_I2C.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  */
 #include "Display_SSD1306_I2C.h"
 
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED
+
 #include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL.h>
 #include <AP_HAL/Device.h>
 
@@ -143,3 +145,5 @@ void Display_SSD1306_I2C::clear_screen()
 {
      memset(_displaybuffer, 0, SSD1306_COLUMNS * SSD1306_ROWS_PER_PAGE);
 }
+
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SSD1306_I2C.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SSD1306_I2C.h
index 665bc26846f8c2..05f1ca2a37708b 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SSD1306_I2C.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/Display_SSD1306_I2C.h
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "AP_Notify_config.h"
+
+#if AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED
+
 #include "Display.h"
 #include "Display_Backend.h"
 
@@ -37,3 +41,5 @@ class Display_SSD1306_I2C: public Display_Backend {
     uint8_t _displaybuffer[SSD1306_COLUMNS * SSD1306_ROWS_PER_PAGE];
     bool _need_hw_update;
 };
+
+#endif // AP_NOTIFY_DISPLAY_SSD1306_ENABLED