diff --git a/lib/meson.build b/lib/meson.build
index 2679548..3bd2db0 100644
--- a/lib/meson.build
+++ b/lib/meson.build
@@ -56,3 +56,7 @@
     sources: phosphor_logging_gen,
     dependencies: phosphor_logging_deps,
 )
+
+if meson.is_subproject()
+    phosphor_logging_dep = phosphor_logging_dep.as_system()
+endif