diff --git a/docs/api/meson.build b/docs/api/meson.build
index 6dc4adc17..aea7e5a9a 100644
--- a/docs/api/meson.build
+++ b/docs/api/meson.build
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
 
 if enable_introspection
+  xsltproc = find_program('xsltproc')
+
   settings = 'settings-spec'
   output = settings + '.xml'
 
diff --git a/man/meson.build b/man/meson.build
index 56f52bb4b..502c36b08 100644
--- a/man/meson.build
+++ b/man/meson.build
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ common_ent_file = configure_file(
 )
 
 xsltproc_options = [
-  xsltproc,
+  find_program('xsltproc'),
   '--output', '@OUTPUT@',
   '--path', meson.current_build_dir(),
   '--xinclude',
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 1ee1fe35f..078a13013 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ po_dir = source_root / 'po'
 top_inc = include_directories('.')
 
 perl = find_program('perl')
-xsltproc = find_program('xsltproc')
 
 check_exports = find_program(join_paths(source_root, 'tools', 'check-exports.sh'))