diff --git a/src/cam/meson.build b/src/cam/meson.build
index 851295091..3faddc6c8 100644
--- a/src/cam/meson.build
+++ b/src/cam/meson.build
@@ -6,6 +6,5 @@ cam_sources = files([
 ])
 
 cam  = executable('cam', cam_sources,
-                  link_with : libcamera,
-                  install : true,
-                  include_directories : libcamera_includes)
+                  dependencies : libcamera_dep,
+                  install : true)
diff --git a/src/libcamera/meson.build b/src/libcamera/meson.build
index 8294ed357..0ebb25bcb 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/meson.build
+++ b/src/libcamera/meson.build
@@ -65,3 +65,7 @@ libcamera = shared_library('camera',
                            install : true,
                            include_directories : includes,
                            dependencies : libudev)
+
+libcamera_dep = declare_dependency(sources : libcamera_api,
+                                   include_directories : libcamera_includes,
+                                   link_with : libcamera)
diff --git a/src/qcam/meson.build b/src/qcam/meson.build
index 56b57a266..9f1fa75f9 100644
--- a/src/qcam/meson.build
+++ b/src/qcam/meson.build
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@ qt5_dep = dependency('qt5',
 
 if qt5_dep.found()
     qcam  = executable('qcam', qcam_sources,
-                       link_with : libcamera,
                        install : true,
-                       include_directories : libcamera_includes,
-                       dependencies : qt5_dep,
+                       dependencies : [libcamera_dep, qt5_dep],
                        cpp_args : '-DQT_NO_KEYWORDS')
 endif
diff --git a/test/camera/meson.build b/test/camera/meson.build
index b01e7e025..35e97ce5d 100644
--- a/test/camera/meson.build
+++ b/test/camera/meson.build
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ camera_tests = [
 
 foreach t : camera_tests
     exe = executable(t[0], [t[1], 'camera_test.cpp'],
+                     dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                      link_with : test_libraries,
                      include_directories : test_includes_internal)
     test(t[0], exe, suite : 'camera', is_parallel : false)
diff --git a/test/ipa/meson.build b/test/ipa/meson.build
index 53015e383..ecde313c6 100644
--- a/test/ipa/meson.build
+++ b/test/ipa/meson.build
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ ipa_modules_sources = [
 
 foreach m : ipa_modules_sources
     shared_library(m, name_prefix : '',
+                   dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                    include_directories : test_includes_public)
 endforeach
 
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ ipa_test = [
 
 foreach t : ipa_test
     exe = executable(t[0], t[1],
+                     dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                      link_with : test_libraries,
                      include_directories : test_includes_internal)
 
diff --git a/test/libtest/meson.build b/test/libtest/meson.build
index e0893b70c..ca762b442 100644
--- a/test/libtest/meson.build
+++ b/test/libtest/meson.build
@@ -2,15 +2,15 @@ libtest_sources = files([
     'test.cpp',
 ])
 
-libtest = static_library('libtest', libtest_sources)
+libtest = static_library('libtest', libtest_sources,
+                         dependencies : libcamera_dep)
 
 libtest_includes = include_directories('.')
 
-test_libraries = [libcamera, libtest]
+test_libraries = [libtest]
 
 test_includes_public = [
     libtest_includes,
-    libcamera_includes,
 ]
 
 test_includes_internal = [
diff --git a/test/media_device/meson.build b/test/media_device/meson.build
index 124f454ec..6a0e46843 100644
--- a/test/media_device/meson.build
+++ b/test/media_device/meson.build
@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ media_device_tests = [
 ]
 
 lib_mdev_test = static_library('lib_mdev_test', lib_mdev_test_sources,
+                               dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                                include_directories : test_includes_internal)
 
 foreach t : media_device_tests
     exe = executable(t[0], t[1],
+                     dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                      link_with : [test_libraries, lib_mdev_test],
                      include_directories : test_includes_internal)
 
diff --git a/test/meson.build b/test/meson.build
index ef4136793..609aeab80 100644
--- a/test/meson.build
+++ b/test/meson.build
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ internal_tests = [
 
 foreach t : public_tests
     exe = executable(t[0], t[1],
+                     dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                      link_with : test_libraries,
                      include_directories : test_includes_public)
 
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ endforeach
 
 foreach t : internal_tests
     exe = executable(t[0], t[1],
+                     dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                      link_with : test_libraries,
                      include_directories : test_includes_internal)
 
diff --git a/test/pipeline/ipu3/meson.build b/test/pipeline/ipu3/meson.build
index 87074588c..d02927c9a 100644
--- a/test/pipeline/ipu3/meson.build
+++ b/test/pipeline/ipu3/meson.build
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ ipu3_test = [
 
 foreach t : ipu3_test
     exe = executable(t[0], t[1],
+                     dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                      link_with : test_libraries,
                      include_directories : test_includes_internal)
 
diff --git a/test/v4l2_device/meson.build b/test/v4l2_device/meson.build
index 32556cf5e..de540b1ba 100644
--- a/test/v4l2_device/meson.build
+++ b/test/v4l2_device/meson.build
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ v4l2_device_tests = [
 
 foreach t : v4l2_device_tests
     exe = executable(t[0], [t[1], 'v4l2_device_test.cpp'],
+                     dependencies : libcamera_dep,
                      link_with : test_libraries,
                      include_directories : test_includes_internal)
     test(t[0], exe, suite : 'v4l2_device', is_parallel : false)
diff --git a/test/v4l2_subdevice/meson.build b/test/v4l2_subdevice/meson.build
index 282f6e234..0521984b2 100644
--- a/test/v4l2_subdevice/meson.build
+++ b/test/v4l2_subdevice/meson.build
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ v4l2_subdevice_tests = [
 
 foreach t : v4l2_subdevice_tests
     exe = executable(t[0], [t[1], 'v4l2_subdevice_test.cpp'],
+        dependencies : libcamera_dep,
         link_with : test_libraries,
         include_directories : test_includes_internal)
     test(t[0], exe, suite : 'v4l2_subdevice', is_parallel : false)