diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 9d76519..51aff73 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@
     sources += [
         'association_manager.cpp',
     ]
+    nlohmann_json_dep = dependency('nlohmann_json', include_type: 'system')
     deps += [
-        dependency('nlohmann_json', include_type: 'system'),
+        nlohmann_json_dep,
     ]
 endif
 
diff --git a/test/meson.build b/test/meson.build
index 3039090..a0e0124 100644
--- a/test/meson.build
+++ b/test/meson.build
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
     sdbusplus_dep,
     phosphor_dbus_interfaces_dep,
     phosphor_logging_dep,
+    nlohmann_json_dep,
+    cereal_dep
 ]
 
 foreach t : tests