diff --git a/.github/scripts/build-c-api-bindings.sh b/.github/scripts/build-c-api-bindings.sh
index 6967b6de..fdc2f1f8 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/build-c-api-bindings.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/build-c-api-bindings.sh
@@ -40,10 +40,11 @@ echo "compiler: $(${CXX:-c++} --version | head -1)"
 
 rm -rf "${BUILD_DIR}" "${INSTALL_DIR}"
 
-cmake -B"${BUILD_DIR}" -S"${WORKSPACE}/bindings/c" \
+cmake -B"${BUILD_DIR}" -S"${WORKSPACE}" \
     -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
     -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="${INSTALL_DIR}" \
     -DCMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR=lib \
+    -DSVS_BUILD_C_API=ON \
     -DSVS_BUILD_C_API_TESTS=ON \
     -DSVS_BUILD_EXAMPLES=ON \
     -DSVS_RUNTIME_ENABLE_LVQ_LEANVEC="${ENABLE_LVQ_LEANVEC}" \
diff --git a/.github/scripts/test-c-api-unit.sh b/.github/scripts/test-c-api-unit.sh
index 7ea6e322..a787e526 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/test-c-api-unit.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/test-c-api-unit.sh
@@ -42,6 +42,6 @@ ctest --test-dir "${BUILD_DIR}" --output-on-failure --no-tests=error
 # exit once already, so they are part of the gate.
 for sample in c_api_simple c_api_save_load c_api_dynamic; do
     echo "::group::${sample}"
-    "${BUILD_DIR}/samples/${sample}"
+    "${BUILD_DIR}/examples/c/${sample}"
     echo "::endgroup::"
 done
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 62377bef..d71f6dd6 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -94,11 +94,22 @@ endif()
 ##### Build Objects
 #####
 
+if(SVS_BUILD_C_API)
+    add_subdirectory(bindings/c)
+    if(SVS_BUILD_C_API_TESTS)
+        include(CTest)
+        enable_testing()
+    endif()
+endif()
+
 if(SVS_BUILD_BINARIES)
     add_subdirectory(utils)
 endif()
 
 if(SVS_BUILD_TESTS)
+    # Add test to CTest
+    include(CTest)
+    enable_testing()
     add_subdirectory(tests)
 endif()
 
diff --git a/bindings/c/CMakeLists.txt b/bindings/c/CMakeLists.txt
index 9ed1247b..5d9a7c45 100644
--- a/bindings/c/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/bindings/c/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -270,7 +270,3 @@ if(SVS_BUILD_C_API_TESTS)
     endif()
     add_subdirectory(tests)
 endif()
-
-if(SVS_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
-    add_subdirectory(samples)
-endif()
diff --git a/cmake/options.cmake b/cmake/options.cmake
index b02b6785..ff429373 100644
--- a/cmake/options.cmake
+++ b/cmake/options.cmake
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ option(SVS_BUILD_BINARIES
     OFF # enabled by default
 )
 
+option(SVS_BUILD_C_API
+    "Build C API bindings"
+    OFF # disabled by default
+)
+
 option(SVS_BUILD_TESTS
     "Build the unit test suite."
     OFF # disabled by default
diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index eaabf8f1..c16d7cd6 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,3 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 add_subdirectory(cpp)
+
+if(SVS_BUILD_C_API)
+    add_subdirectory(c)
+endif()
diff --git a/bindings/c/samples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/c/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 95%
rename from bindings/c/samples/CMakeLists.txt
rename to examples/c/CMakeLists.txt
index c23b1a02..a92ef392 100644
--- a/bindings/c/samples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/c/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-
+project(svs_c_api_samples LANGUAGES C)
 foreach(SAMPLE_NAME simple save_load dynamic)
     set(SAMPLE_TARGET c_api_${SAMPLE_NAME})
     list(APPEND SAMPLE_TARGETS ${SAMPLE_TARGET})
diff --git a/bindings/c/samples/dynamic.c b/examples/c/dynamic.c
similarity index 100%
rename from bindings/c/samples/dynamic.c
rename to examples/c/dynamic.c
diff --git a/bindings/c/samples/save_load.c b/examples/c/save_load.c
similarity index 100%
rename from bindings/c/samples/save_load.c
rename to examples/c/save_load.c
diff --git a/bindings/c/samples/simple.c b/examples/c/simple.c
similarity index 100%
rename from bindings/c/samples/simple.c
rename to examples/c/simple.c