diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 6f68902..74086d5 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -38,7 +38,19 @@
         ]
     )
 endif
-sdbusplus = dependency('sdbusplus')
+sdbusplus = dependency('sdbusplus', required: false)
+if not sdbusplus.found()
+    subproject('sdbusplus', required: false)
+    run_command(find_program('build-sdbusplus.sh'), check: true)
+    sdbusplus = declare_dependency(
+        dependencies: dependency('libsystemd'),
+        include_directories: 'sdbusplus',
+        link_args: [
+            'sdbusplus/.libs/libsdbusplus.so',
+            '-Wl,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../sdbusplus/.libs'
+        ],
+    )
+endif
 systemd = dependency('systemd')
 systemd_system_unit_dir = systemd.get_pkgconfig_variable(
     'systemdsystemunitdir',