diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a135df1..96ffd96 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -8,33 +8,32 @@
     'cpp_std=c++17',
   ])
 
-phosphor_dbus_interfaces = dependency('phosphor-dbus-interfaces')
-phosphor_logging = dependency('phosphor-logging')
-sdbusplus = dependency('sdbusplus')
-sdeventplus = dependency('sdeventplus')
+watchdog_headers = include_directories('.')
 
-libwatchdog = static_library(
+watchdog_deps = [
+  dependency('phosphor-dbus-interfaces'),
+  dependency('phosphor-logging'),
+  dependency('sdbusplus'),
+  dependency('sdeventplus'),
+]
+
+watchdog_lib = static_library(
   'watchdog',
   'watchdog.cpp',
   implicit_include_directories: false,
-  dependencies: [
-    phosphor_dbus_interfaces,
-    phosphor_logging,
-    sdbusplus,
-    sdeventplus,
-  ])
+  include_directories: watchdog_headers,
+  dependencies: watchdog_deps)
+
+watchdog_dep = declare_dependency(
+  dependencies: watchdog_deps,
+  include_directories: watchdog_headers,
+  link_with: watchdog_lib)
 
 executable(
   'phosphor-watchdog',
   'mainapp.cpp',
   implicit_include_directories: false,
-  link_with: libwatchdog,
-  dependencies: [
-    phosphor_logging,
-    phosphor_dbus_interfaces,
-    sdbusplus,
-    sdeventplus,
-  ],
+  dependencies: watchdog_dep,
   install: true,
   install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
 
diff --git a/test/meson.build b/test/meson.build
index b57140c..0e4faf0 100644
--- a/test/meson.build
+++ b/test/meson.build
@@ -12,6 +12,5 @@
       t.underscorify(),
       t + '.cpp',
       implicit_include_directories: false,
-      link_with: libwatchdog,
-      dependencies: [gtest, gmock]))
+      dependencies: [watchdog_dep, gtest, gmock]))
 endforeach