diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 098aab0..12c18d6 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 image: fedora:latest
 
 variables:
-  DEPS_COMMON: git libtool make redhat-rpm-config
+  DEPS_COMMON: git gcc redhat-rpm-config
                meson ninja-build gtk-doc glib2-devel
                gettext gettext-devel bzip2 rpmlint rpm-build
 
@@ -10,9 +10,15 @@ before_script:
 
 fedora:
   script:
+    # build project and distribution
     - meson --buildtype=release build-default
     - ninja -C build-default
     - ninja -C build-default dist
-    - rpmlint -o "NetworkEnabled False" build-default/spice-protocol.spec
-    - mkdir -p ~/rpmbuild/SOURCES && cp build-default/meson-dist/spice-protocol*.tar.xz ~/rpmbuild/SOURCES/
-    - rpmbuild -ba build-default/spice-protocol.spec
+    # check SPEC file
+    - rpmlint -o "NetworkEnabled False" spice-protocol.spec
+    # check the SPEC version and project (in meson.build) are the same
+    - "VER_SPEC=$(sed '/^Version:/!d; s/.*: \\+//' < spice-protocol.spec)"
+    - "VER_PROJECT=$(sed '/version/ { s/.*'\\''\\(.*\\)'\\''.*/\\1/; q }; d' < meson.build)"
+    - "test \"x$VER_SPEC\" = \"x$VER_PROJECT\""
+    # build RPM from tarball generate
+    - rpmbuild -ta build-default/meson-dist/spice-protocol*.tar.xz
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 9d52a01..135a703 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # project definition
 #
-project('spice-protocol', 'c',
+project('spice-protocol',
         version : '0.14.2',
         license : 'BSD',
         meson_version : '>= 0.41.0')
@@ -23,12 +23,3 @@ pkgconfig.generate(name : meson.project_name(),
                    subdirs : 'spice-1',
                    install_dir : pkgconfig_dir,
                    variables : 'datadir=@0@'.format(join_paths('${prefix}', datadir)))
-
-#
-# spice-protocol.spec
-#
-config_data = configuration_data()
-config_data.set ('VERSION', meson.project_version())
-configure_file(input : 'spice-protocol.spec.in',
-               output : 'spice-protocol.spec',
-               configuration : config_data)
diff --git a/spice-protocol.spec.in b/spice-protocol.spec
similarity index 99%
rename from spice-protocol.spec.in
rename to spice-protocol.spec
index 300b576..dfd1345 100644
--- a/spice-protocol.spec.in
+++ b/spice-protocol.spec
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:           spice-protocol
-Version:        @VERSION@
+Version:        0.14.2
 Release:        1%{?dist}
 Summary:        Spice protocol header files
 Group:          Development/Libraries
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ License:        BSD and LGPLv2+
 URL:            https://www.spice-space.org
 Source0:        https://www.spice-space.org/download/releases/%{name}-%{version}.tar.xz
 BuildArch:      noarch
+BuildRequires:  meson gcc
 
 %description
 Header files describing the spice protocol