diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 6e5b9446a..90c719f17 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -4453,7 +4453,7 @@ $(clients_common_libnmc_base_la_OBJECTS): $(libnm_lib_h_pub_mkenums)
 $(clients_common_libnmc_base_la_OBJECTS): clients/common/.dirstamp
 
 clients_common_settings_doc_h = clients/common/settings-docs.h
-if HAVE_INTROSPECTION
+if BUILD_DOCS
 $(clients_common_settings_doc_h): clients/common/settings-docs.xsl libnm/nm-settings-docs-gir.xml clients/common/.dirstamp
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(XSLTPROC) --output $@ $< $(word 2,$^)
 DISTCLEANFILES += $(clients_common_settings_doc_h)
diff --git a/clients/common/meson.build b/clients/common/meson.build
index cefcfce02..81fc22d69 100644
--- a/clients/common/meson.build
+++ b/clients/common/meson.build
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ libnmc_base_dep = declare_dependency(
 
 settings_docs = 'settings-docs.h'
 
-if enable_introspection
+if enable_docs
   settings_docs_source = custom_target(
     settings_docs,
     input: nm_settings_docs_xml_gir,