diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 516cc69adc..1a842a8d91 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1254,6 +1254,7 @@ libjournal_core = static_library(
 libsystemd_sym_path = '@0@/@1@'.format(meson.current_source_dir(), libsystemd_sym)
 libsystemd = shared_library(
         'systemd',
+        'src/systemd/sd-id128.h', # pick a header file at random to work around old meson bug
         version : libsystemd_version,
         include_directories : includes,
         link_args : ['-shared',
diff --git a/src/udev/meson.build b/src/udev/meson.build
index 2c0e3a65df..de2fd2d9c4 100644
--- a/src/udev/meson.build
+++ b/src/udev/meson.build
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ libudev_static = static_library(
 
 libudev = shared_library(
         'udev',
+        'udev.h', # pick a header file at random to work around old meson bug
         version : libudev_version,
         include_directories : includes,
         link_args : ['-shared',