diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 838bfe3e..ea2b9a5d 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -42,14 +42,10 @@ else
   os = option_os
 endif
 
-pam = get_option('pam')
-if pam
-  libpam = cc.find_library('pam')
-  libpam_misc = cc.find_library('pam_misc')
+pam_dep = dependency('pam', required : get_option('pam'))
+if pam_dep.found()
   cc_pam_flags = '-DHAVE_PAM'
 else
-  libpam = []
-  libpam_misc = []
   cc_pam_flags = []
 endif
 
@@ -93,8 +89,12 @@ sbindir = rootprefix / get_option('sbindir')
 selinux_dep = dependency('libselinux', required : get_option('selinux'))
 if selinux_dep.found()
   cc_selinux_flags = '-DHAVE_SELINUX'
-  else
+  if pam_dep.found()
+    pam_misc_dep = dependency('pam_misc', required : get_option('pam'))
+  endif
+else
   cc_selinux_flags = []
+  pam_misc_dep = []
 endif
 
 termcap = get_option('termcap')
diff --git a/src/rc/meson.build b/src/rc/meson.build
index 0246eabd..eafba436 100644
--- a/src/rc/meson.build
+++ b/src/rc/meson.build
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ executable('openrc-run',
   rc_selinux_c, version_h],
   c_args : [cc_audit_flags, cc_branding_flags, cc_pam_flags, cc_selinux_flags],
   link_with: [libeinfo, librc],
-  dependencies: [audit_dep, dl_dep, libpam, libpam_misc, selinux_dep, util_dep],
+  dependencies: [audit_dep, dl_dep, pam_dep, pam_misc_dep, selinux_dep, util_dep],
   include_directories: [incdir, einfo_incdir, rc_incdir],
   install: true,
   install_dir: sbindir)
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ executable('runscript',
     rc_selinux_c, version_h],
   c_args : [cc_audit_flags, cc_branding_flags, cc_pam_flags, cc_selinux_flags],
   link_with: [libeinfo, librc],
-  dependencies: [audit_dep, dl_dep, libpam, util_dep, selinux_dep],
+  dependencies: [audit_dep, dl_dep, pam_dep, util_dep, selinux_dep],
   include_directories: [incdir, einfo_incdir, rc_incdir],
   install: true,
   install_dir: sbindir)
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ executable('start-stop-daemon',
 	rc_selinux_c, usage_c, version_h],
   c_args : [cc_audit_flags, cc_branding_flags, cc_pam_flags, cc_selinux_flags],
   link_with: [libeinfo, librc],
-  dependencies: [dl_dep, libpam, util_dep, selinux_dep],
+  dependencies: [dl_dep, pam_dep, util_dep, selinux_dep],
   include_directories: [incdir, einfo_incdir, rc_incdir],
   install: true,
   install_dir: sbindir)
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ executable('supervise-daemon',
     usage_c, version_h],
   c_args : [cc_branding_flags, cc_pam_flags, cc_selinux_flags],
   link_with: [libeinfo, librc],
-  dependencies: [dl_dep, libpam, util_dep, selinux_dep],
+  dependencies: [dl_dep, pam_dep, util_dep, selinux_dep],
   include_directories: [incdir, einfo_incdir, rc_incdir],
   install: true,
   install_dir: sbindir)
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ executable('checkpath',
   c_args : [cc_audit_flags, cc_branding_flags, cc_pam_flags, cc_selinux_flags],
   include_directories: [incdir, einfo_incdir, rc_incdir],
   link_with: [libeinfo, librc],
-  dependencies: [libpam, selinux_dep],
+  dependencies: [pam_dep, selinux_dep],
   install: true,
   install_dir: rc_bindir)