diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 8ea3c03788..fa0b0abf74 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1235,9 +1235,6 @@ includes = include_directories('src/basic',
 
 add_project_arguments('-include', 'config.h', language : 'c')
 
-gcrypt_util_sources = files('src/shared/gcrypt-util.h',
-                            'src/shared/gcrypt-util.c')
-
 subdir('po')
 subdir('catalog')
 subdir('src/systemd')
@@ -1258,15 +1255,14 @@ libsystemd_sym_path = '@0@/@1@'.format(meson.current_source_dir(), libsystemd_sy
 libsystemd = shared_library(
         'systemd',
         journal_internal_sources,
-        gcrypt_util_sources,
         version : libsystemd_version,
         include_directories : includes,
         link_args : ['-shared',
                      '-Wl,--version-script=' + libsystemd_sym_path],
-        link_with : libbasic,
+        link_with : [libbasic,
+                     libbasic_gcrypt],
         link_whole : libsystemd_static,
         dependencies : [threads,
-                        libgcrypt,
                         librt,
                         libxz,
                         liblz4],
@@ -1507,11 +1503,10 @@ endif
 if conf.get('ENABLE_RESOLVE') == 1
         executable('systemd-resolved',
                    systemd_resolved_sources,
-                   gcrypt_util_sources,
                    include_directories : includes,
-                   link_with : [libshared],
+                   link_with : [libshared,
+                                libbasic_gcrypt],
                    dependencies : [threads,
-                                   libgcrypt,
                                    libgpg_error,
                                    libm,
                                    libidn],
@@ -1521,11 +1516,10 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_RESOLVE') == 1
 
         exe = executable('systemd-resolve',
                          systemd_resolve_sources,
-                         gcrypt_util_sources,
                          include_directories : includes,
-                         link_with : [libshared],
+                         link_with : [libshared,
+                                      libbasic_gcrypt],
                          dependencies : [threads,
-                                         libgcrypt,
                                          libgpg_error,
                                          libm,
                                          libidn],
diff --git a/src/shared/gcrypt-util.c b/src/basic/gcrypt-util.c
similarity index 100%
rename from src/shared/gcrypt-util.c
rename to src/basic/gcrypt-util.c
diff --git a/src/shared/gcrypt-util.h b/src/basic/gcrypt-util.h
similarity index 100%
rename from src/shared/gcrypt-util.h
rename to src/basic/gcrypt-util.h
diff --git a/src/basic/meson.build b/src/basic/meson.build
index 43a2e11356..fce1d218c0 100644
--- a/src/basic/meson.build
+++ b/src/basic/meson.build
@@ -306,3 +306,13 @@ libbasic = static_library(
                         libselinux],
         c_args : ['-fvisibility=default'],
         install : false)
+
+# A convenience library that is separate from libbasic to avoid
+# unnecessary linking to libgcrypt.
+libbasic_gcrypt = static_library(
+        'basic-gcrypt',
+        'gcrypt-util.c',
+        'gcrypt-util.h',
+        include_directories : includes,
+        dependencies : [libgcrypt],
+        c_args : ['-fvisibility=default'])
diff --git a/src/shared/meson.build b/src/shared/meson.build
index a9ad217fec..7402e75592 100644
--- a/src/shared/meson.build
+++ b/src/shared/meson.build
@@ -56,8 +56,6 @@ shared_sources = '''
         firewall-util.h
         fstab-util.c
         fstab-util.h
-        gcrypt-util.c
-        gcrypt-util.h
         generator.c
         generator.h
         gpt.h
@@ -175,7 +173,8 @@ libshared = shared_library(
         link_args : ['-shared',
                      '-Wl,--version-script=' + libshared_sym_path],
         link_whole : [libshared_static,
-                      libbasic],
+                      libbasic,
+                      libbasic_gcrypt],
         c_args : ['-fvisibility=default'],
         dependencies : libshared_deps,
         install : true,