diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 9c3937588..19248fb12 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -250,7 +250,6 @@ if build_daemon
 endif
 libm = cc.find_library('m', required: false)
 libgcab = dependency('libgcab-1.0', version : '>= 1.0', fallback : ['gcab', 'gcab_dep'])
-gcab = find_program('gcab', required : get_option('tests'))
 bashcomp = dependency('bash-completion', required: false)
 if host_machine.system() != 'freebsd'
   python3 = find_program('python3')
@@ -587,6 +586,7 @@ if build_daemon and get_option('polkit')
   subdir('policy')
 endif
 if build_standalone
+  gcab = find_program('gcab', required : get_option('tests'))
   subdir('data')
   subdir('po')
   subdir('libfwupdplugin')