diff --git a/src/config/config.cc b/src/config/config.cc
index ed727822..caa189fb 100644
--- a/src/config/config.cc
+++ b/src/config/config.cc
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ void inheritable_diagram_options::inherit(
     puml.override(parent.puml);
     generate_method_arguments.override(parent.generate_method_arguments);
     generate_links.override(parent.generate_links);
+    generate_system_headers.override(parent.generate_system_headers);
     git.override(parent.git);
     base_directory.override(parent.base_directory);
     relative_to.override(parent.relative_to);
@@ -527,6 +528,7 @@ template <> struct convert<include_diagram> {
 
         get_option(node, rhs.layout);
         get_option(node, rhs.relative_to);
+        get_option(node, rhs.generate_system_headers);
 
         // Convert the path in relative_to to an absolute path, with respect
         // to the directory where the `.clang-uml` configuration file is located
@@ -588,6 +590,7 @@ template <> struct convert<config> {
         get_option(node, rhs.generate_method_arguments);
         get_option(node, rhs.generate_packages);
         get_option(node, rhs.generate_links);
+        get_option(node, rhs.generate_system_headers);
         get_option(node, rhs.git);
         rhs.base_directory.set(node["__parent_path"].as<std::string>());
         get_option(node, rhs.relative_to);
diff --git a/src/config/config.h b/src/config/config.h
index 6e454eae..c663f88d 100644
--- a/src/config/config.h
+++ b/src/config/config.h
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ struct inheritable_diagram_options {
     option<git_config> git{"git"};
     option<std::filesystem::path> base_directory{"__parent_path"};
     option<std::filesystem::path> relative_to{"relative_to"};
+    option<bool> generate_system_headers{"generate_system_headers", false};
 
     void inherit(const inheritable_diagram_options &parent);
 };
diff --git a/src/include_diagram/visitor/translation_unit_visitor.cc b/src/include_diagram/visitor/translation_unit_visitor.cc
index 6b42082d..ac47cd58 100644
--- a/src/include_diagram/visitor/translation_unit_visitor.cc
+++ b/src/include_diagram/visitor/translation_unit_visitor.cc
@@ -109,6 +109,20 @@ void translation_unit_visitor::process_include_directive(
                 .string());
         include_file.set_line(0);
     }
+    else if (ctx.config().generate_system_headers() &&
+        include_directive.include_kind() == cppast::cpp_include_kind::system) {
+        auto directive_target = include_directive.name();
+        auto f = std::make_unique<source_file>();
+        f->set_name(include_directive.name());
+        f->set_type(source_file_t::kHeader);
+        ctx.diagram().add_element(std::move(f));
+
+        ctx.get_current_file().value().add_relationship(
+            relationship{common::model::relationship_t::kDependency,
+                ctx.diagram().get_element(directive_target).value().alias()});
+
+        return;
+    }
     else {
         LOG_DBG("Skipping include directive to file {}", include_path.string());
     }
diff --git a/tests/t40001/.clang-uml b/tests/t40001/.clang-uml
index 660a1e13..dc6d2596 100644
--- a/tests/t40001/.clang-uml
+++ b/tests/t40001/.clang-uml
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ diagrams:
       - ../../tests/t40001/**/*.h
     # Render the paths relative to this directory
     relative_to: ../../tests/t40001
+    # Include also external system headers
+    generate_system_headers: true
     include:
       # Include only headers belonging to these paths
       paths:
diff --git a/tests/t40001/include/t40001_include1.h b/tests/t40001/include/t40001_include1.h
index 734f33d2..f43f00eb 100644
--- a/tests/t40001/include/t40001_include1.h
+++ b/tests/t40001/include/t40001_include1.h
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 #include "lib1/lib1.h"
 
+#include <cppast/cpp_preprocessor.hpp>
+
+#include <string>
+
 namespace clanguml::t40001 {
 
 int foo() { return lib1::foo2(); }
diff --git a/tests/t40001/test_case.h b/tests/t40001/test_case.h
index e2bf65ae..5f476c27 100644
--- a/tests/t40001/test_case.h
+++ b/tests/t40001/test_case.h
@@ -40,9 +40,14 @@ TEST_CASE("t40001", "[test-case][package]")
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsFile("t40001.cc"));
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsFile("t40001_include1.h"));
 
+    REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsFile("string"));
+    REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsFile("cppast/cpp_preprocessor.hpp"));
+
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsAssociation(_A("t40001.cc"), _A("t40001_include1.h")));
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsAssociation(_A("t40001_include1.h"), _A("lib1.h")));
 
+    REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsDependency(_A("t40001_include1.h"), _A("string")));
+
     save_puml(
         "./" + config.output_directory() + "/" + diagram->name + ".puml", puml);
 }
diff --git a/tests/t40002/src/lib1/lib1.cc b/tests/t40002/src/lib1/lib1.cc
index de88c7b5..f043ae1d 100644
--- a/tests/t40002/src/lib1/lib1.cc
+++ b/tests/t40002/src/lib1/lib1.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include "../../include/lib1/lib1.h"
 
+#include <string>
+
 namespace clanguml::t40002::lib1 {
 
 int foo0() { return 0; }
diff --git a/tests/t40002/test_case.h b/tests/t40002/test_case.h
index f261d755..1baefec5 100644
--- a/tests/t40002/test_case.h
+++ b/tests/t40002/test_case.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ TEST_CASE("t40002", "[test-case][package]")
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsFile("lib1.cc"));
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsFile("lib2.cc"));
 
+    REQUIRE_THAT(puml, !IsFile("string"));
+
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsAssociation(_A("t40002.cc"), _A("lib1.h")));
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsAssociation(_A("lib1.h"), _A("lib2.h")));
     REQUIRE_THAT(puml, IsAssociation(_A("lib1.cc"), _A("lib1.h")));