diff --git a/docs/yaml/functions/is_disabler.yaml b/docs/yaml/functions/is_disabler.yaml
index 278634541627..8a26bf684a97 100644
--- a/docs/yaml/functions/is_disabler.yaml
+++ b/docs/yaml/functions/is_disabler.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 name: is_disabler
 returns: bool
 since: 0.52.0
-description: Returns true if a variable is a disabler and false otherwise.
+description: |
+  Returns true if a variable is a disabler and false otherwise.
+
+  Since 1.10.0, the variable can be a list and true is returned if any of its
+  items is a disabler.
 
 posargs:
   var:
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
index 631890d0fbee..b5b38c4fd7ac 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
@@ -27,10 +27,11 @@
 from ..interpreterbase import ContainerTypeInfo, InterpreterBase, KwargInfo, typed_kwargs, typed_pos_args
 from ..interpreterbase import noPosargs, noKwargs, permittedKwargs, noArgsFlattening, noSecondLevelHolderResolving, unholder_return
 from ..interpreterbase import InterpreterException, InvalidArguments, InvalidCode, SubdirDoneRequest
-from ..interpreterbase import Disabler, disablerIfNotFound
+from ..interpreterbase import Disabler, disablerIfNotFound, is_disabled
 from ..interpreterbase import FeatureNew, FeatureDeprecated, FeatureBroken, FeatureNewKwargs
 from ..interpreterbase import ObjectHolder, ContextManagerObject
 from ..interpreterbase import stringifyUserArguments
+
 from ..modules import ExtensionModule, ModuleObject, MutableModuleObject, NewExtensionModule, NotFoundExtensionModule
 from ..optinterpreter import optname_regex
 
@@ -3589,8 +3590,16 @@ def machine_from_native_kwarg(kwargs: T.Dict[str, T.Any]) -> MachineChoice:
     @FeatureNew('is_disabler', '0.52.0')
     @typed_pos_args('is_disabler', object)
     @noKwargs
+    @noArgsFlattening
     def func_is_disabler(self, node: mparser.BaseNode, args: T.Tuple[object], kwargs: 'TYPE_kwargs') -> bool:
-        return isinstance(args[0], Disabler)
+        if isinstance(args[0], Disabler):
+            return True
+        if isinstance(args[0], dict):
+            return is_disabled([], args[0])
+        if isinstance(args[0], list):
+            FeatureNew.single_use('is_disabler with list argument', '1.10.0', self.subproject, location=node)
+            return is_disabled(args[0], {})
+        return False
 
     @noKwargs
     @FeatureNew('range', '0.58.0')
diff --git a/test cases/common/158 disabler/meson.build b/test cases/common/158 disabler/meson.build
index 65ca5fdf5457..beaa863bd0c2 100644
--- a/test cases/common/158 disabler/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/common/158 disabler/meson.build	
@@ -151,3 +151,12 @@ foreach k, i : {'a': true, 'b': disabler(), 'c': true}
 endforeach
 assert(loops == 3, 'Disabler in foreach dict')
 assert(disablers == 1, 'Disabler in foreach dict')
+
+assert(not is_disabler([1, 2, 3]))
+assert(is_disabler([1, disabler(), 3]))
+assert(is_disabler([1, [disabler()], 3]))
+assert(is_disabler({'a': 1, 'b': disabler(), 'c': 3}))
+assert(is_disabler({'a': 1, 'b': [disabler()], 'c': 3}))
+# Disctionaries are not looked into recursively, unlike lists.
+# This reflects the behavior kwargs handling.
+assert(not is_disabler({'a': 1, 'b': {'x': disabler()}, 'c': 3}))