diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 8eedcd4..9c64ff5 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -35,9 +35,18 @@ stages:
   before_script:
     - *script_variables
   script:
-    - ./autogen.sh --prefix="$VROOT"
-    - $MAKE dist
-    - if test -x /usr/bin/rpmbuild && test "$RPM" != "skip" ; then rpmbuild --nodeps -ta virt-viewer*.tar.gz ; fi
+    - meson build
+    - if test "$DIST" != "skip";
+      then
+        ninja -C build dist;
+      else
+        ninja -C build;
+        ninja -C build test;
+      fi
+    - if test -x /usr/bin/rpmbuild && test "$RPM" != "skip";
+      then
+        rpmbuild --nodeps -ta build/meson-dist/virt-viewer-*.tar.xz;
+      fi
 
 .git_native_build_job_template: &git_native_build_job_definition
   image: $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/ci-$NAME:latest
@@ -62,10 +71,18 @@ stages:
     - meson build --prefix="$VROOT" --libdir="$LIBDIR"
     - $NINJA -C build install
     - popd
-    - ./autogen.sh --prefix="$VROOT"
-    - $MAKE syntax-check
-    - $MAKE dist
-    - if test -x /usr/bin/rpmbuild && test "$RPM" != "skip" ; then rpmbuild --nodeps -ta virt-viewer*.tar.gz ; fi
+    - meson build
+    - if test "$DIST" != "skip";
+      then
+        ninja -C build dist;
+      else
+        ninja -C build;
+        ninja -C build test;
+      fi
+    - if test -x /usr/bin/rpmbuild && test "$RPM" != "skip";
+      then
+        rpmbuild --nodeps -ta build/meson-dist/virt-viewer-*.tar.xz;
+      fi
 
 # Default cross build jobs that are always run
 .git_cross_build_default_job_template: &git_cross_build_default_job_definition
@@ -95,8 +112,8 @@ stages:
     - meson build $MESON_OPTS --prefix="$VROOT" --libdir="$LIBDIR" -Dintrospection=disabled
     - $NINJA -C build install
     - popd
-    - ./autogen.sh $CONFIGURE_OPTS --prefix="$VROOT"
-    - $MAKE install
+    - meson build $MESON_OPTS
+    - $NINJA -C build
 
 # Check that all commits are signed-off for the DCO.
 # Skip on "virt-viewer" namespace, since we only need to run
@@ -177,10 +194,24 @@ mingw64-fedora-rawhide-container:
     NAME: fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw64
 
 
+codestyle:
+  stage: builds
+  image: $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/ci-centos-8:latest
+  needs:
+    - x86-centos-8-container
+  before_script:
+    - *script_variables
+  script:
+    - meson build || (cat build/meson-logs/meson-log.txt && exit 1)
+    - meson test -C build --suite syntax-check --no-rebuild || (cat build/meson-logs/testlog.txt && exit 1)
+
 x86-centos-7-dist-build:
   <<: *dist_native_build_job_definition
   variables:
     NAME: centos-7
+    # git is too old for -C args
+    DIST: skip
+    RPM: skip
 
 x86-centos-8-git-build:
   <<: *git_native_build_job_definition
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-centos-7.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-centos-7.Dockerfile
index e4d79f0..713abd8 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-centos-7.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-centos-7.Dockerfile
@@ -2,20 +2,17 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile centos-7 libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM registry.centos.org/centos:7
 
 RUN yum update -y && \
     echo 'skip_missing_names_on_install=0' >> /etc/yum.conf && \
     yum install -y epel-release && \
     yum install -y \
-        autoconf \
-        automake \
         bash-completion \
         ca-certificates \
         ccache \
         gcc \
-        gettext-devel \
         git \
         glib2-devel \
         glibc-common \
@@ -29,7 +26,11 @@ RUN yum update -y && \
         libxml2 \
         libxml2-devel \
         make \
+        ninja-build \
         pkgconfig \
+        python3-pip \
+        python3-setuptools \
+        python3-wheel \
         rest-devel \
         rpm-build \
         spice-gtk3-devel \
@@ -41,6 +42,10 @@ RUN yum update -y && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/cc && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/$(basename /usr/bin/gcc)
 
+RUN pip3 install \
+         meson==0.54.0
+
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja-build"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-centos-8.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-centos-8.Dockerfile
index 5748eed..c380e57 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-centos-8.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-centos-8.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile centos-8 libvirt+minimal,libvirt-glib,gtk-vnc,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM docker.io/library/centos:8
 
 RUN dnf update -y && \
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ RUN dnf update -y && \
     dnf install -y centos-release-advanced-virtualization && \
     dnf install -y epel-release && \
     dnf install -y \
-        autoconf \
-        automake \
         bash-completion \
         ca-certificates \
         ccache \
@@ -20,7 +18,6 @@ RUN dnf update -y && \
         gcc \
         gdk-pixbuf2-devel \
         gettext \
-        gettext-devel \
         git \
         glib2-devel \
         glibc-devel \
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-centos-stream.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-centos-stream.Dockerfile
index 3a7ecf4..2614b18 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-centos-stream.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-centos-stream.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile centos-stream libvirt+minimal,libvirt-glib,gtk-vnc,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM docker.io/library/centos:8
 
 RUN dnf update -y && \
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ RUN dnf update -y && \
     dnf install -y centos-release-advanced-virtualization && \
     dnf install -y epel-release && \
     dnf install -y \
-        autoconf \
-        automake \
         bash-completion \
         ca-certificates \
         ccache \
@@ -21,7 +19,6 @@ RUN dnf update -y && \
         gcc \
         gdk-pixbuf2-devel \
         gettext \
-        gettext-devel \
         git \
         glib2-devel \
         glibc-devel \
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-debian-10.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-debian-10.Dockerfile
index 7a2b90a..771c630 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-debian-10.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-debian-10.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile debian-10 libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM docker.io/library/debian:10-slim
 
 RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
     apt-get install -y eatmydata && \
     eatmydata apt-get dist-upgrade -y && \
     eatmydata apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y \
-            autoconf \
-            automake \
-            autopoint \
             bash-completion \
             ca-certificates \
             ccache \
@@ -34,7 +31,11 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
             libxml2-utils \
             locales \
             make \
-            pkgconf && \
+            ninja-build \
+            pkgconf \
+            python3-pip \
+            python3-setuptools \
+            python3-wheel && \
     eatmydata apt-get autoremove -y && \
     eatmydata apt-get autoclean -y && \
     sed -Ei 's,^# (en_US\.UTF-8 .*)$,\1,' /etc/locale.gen && \
@@ -44,6 +45,10 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/cc && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/$(basename /usr/bin/gcc)
 
+RUN pip3 install \
+         meson==0.54.0
+
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-debian-sid.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-debian-sid.Dockerfile
index aab4a0e..2a3a2b0 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-debian-sid.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-debian-sid.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile debian-sid libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM docker.io/library/debian:sid-slim
 
 RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
     apt-get install -y eatmydata && \
     eatmydata apt-get dist-upgrade -y && \
     eatmydata apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y \
-            autoconf \
-            automake \
-            autopoint \
             bash-completion \
             ca-certificates \
             ccache \
@@ -34,6 +31,8 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
             libxml2-utils \
             locales \
             make \
+            meson \
+            ninja-build \
             pkgconf && \
     eatmydata apt-get autoremove -y && \
     eatmydata apt-get autoclean -y && \
@@ -46,4 +45,5 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
 
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-32.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-32.Dockerfile
index 13f8f22..f5ff674 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-32.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-32.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile fedora-32 libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM registry.fedoraproject.org/fedora:32
 
 RUN dnf install -y nosync && \
@@ -17,13 +17,10 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
     chmod +x /usr/bin/nosync && \
     nosync dnf update -y && \
     nosync dnf install -y \
-        autoconf \
-        automake \
         bash-completion \
         ca-certificates \
         ccache \
         gcc \
-        gettext-devel \
         git \
         glib2-devel \
         glibc-langpack-en \
@@ -37,6 +34,8 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
         libxml2 \
         libxml2-devel \
         make \
+        meson \
+        ninja-build \
         pkgconfig \
         rest-devel \
         rpm-build \
@@ -51,4 +50,5 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
 
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-33.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-33.Dockerfile
index 99a50bd..c9aaef7 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-33.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-33.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile fedora-33 libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM registry.fedoraproject.org/fedora:33
 
 RUN dnf install -y nosync && \
@@ -17,13 +17,10 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
     chmod +x /usr/bin/nosync && \
     nosync dnf update -y && \
     nosync dnf install -y \
-        autoconf \
-        automake \
         bash-completion \
         ca-certificates \
         ccache \
         gcc \
-        gettext-devel \
         git \
         glib2-devel \
         glibc-langpack-en \
@@ -37,6 +34,8 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
         libxml2 \
         libxml2-devel \
         make \
+        meson \
+        ninja-build \
         pkgconfig \
         rest-devel \
         rpm-build \
@@ -51,4 +50,5 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
 
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw32.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw32.Dockerfile
index e646e58..cadfbb8 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw32.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw32.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile --cross mingw32 fedora-rawhide libvirt,libvirt-glib,gtk-vnc,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM registry.fedoraproject.org/fedora:rawhide
 
 RUN dnf install -y nosync && \
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
     nosync dnf update -y && \
     nosync dnf install -y \
         augeas \
-        autoconf \
-        automake \
         bash-completion \
         ca-certificates \
         ccache \
@@ -30,7 +28,6 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
         dwarves \
         ebtables \
         firewalld-filesystem \
-        gettext-devel \
         git \
         glibc-langpack-en \
         gtk-doc \
@@ -102,5 +99,4 @@ ENV PYTHON "/usr/bin/python3"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
 
 ENV ABI "i686-w64-mingw32"
-ENV CONFIGURE_OPTS "--host=i686-w64-mingw32"
 ENV MESON_OPTS "--cross-file=/usr/share/mingw/toolchain-mingw32.meson"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw64.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw64.Dockerfile
index 76a8019..47982df 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw64.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide-cross-mingw64.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile --cross mingw64 fedora-rawhide libvirt,libvirt-glib,gtk-vnc,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM registry.fedoraproject.org/fedora:rawhide
 
 RUN dnf install -y nosync && \
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
     nosync dnf update -y && \
     nosync dnf install -y \
         augeas \
-        autoconf \
-        automake \
         bash-completion \
         ca-certificates \
         ccache \
@@ -30,7 +28,6 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
         dwarves \
         ebtables \
         firewalld-filesystem \
-        gettext-devel \
         git \
         glibc-langpack-en \
         gtk-doc \
@@ -102,5 +99,4 @@ ENV PYTHON "/usr/bin/python3"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
 
 ENV ABI "x86_64-w64-mingw32"
-ENV CONFIGURE_OPTS "--host=x86_64-w64-mingw32"
 ENV MESON_OPTS "--cross-file=/usr/share/mingw/toolchain-mingw64.meson"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide.Dockerfile
index e297e44..6e8a659 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-fedora-rawhide.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile fedora-rawhide libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM registry.fedoraproject.org/fedora:rawhide
 
 RUN dnf install -y nosync && \
@@ -18,13 +18,10 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
     nosync dnf update -y --nogpgcheck fedora-gpg-keys && \
     nosync dnf update -y && \
     nosync dnf install -y \
-        autoconf \
-        automake \
         bash-completion \
         ca-certificates \
         ccache \
         gcc \
-        gettext-devel \
         git \
         glib2-devel \
         glibc-langpack-en \
@@ -38,6 +35,8 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
         libxml2 \
         libxml2-devel \
         make \
+        meson \
+        ninja-build \
         pkgconfig \
         rest-devel \
         rpm-build \
@@ -52,4 +51,5 @@ exec "$@"' > /usr/bin/nosync && \
 
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-opensuse-152.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-opensuse-152.Dockerfile
index 393fe5d..0057693 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-opensuse-152.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-opensuse-152.Dockerfile
@@ -2,18 +2,15 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile opensuse-152 libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM registry.opensuse.org/opensuse/leap:15.2
 
 RUN zypper update -y && \
     zypper install -y \
-           autoconf \
-           automake \
            bash-completion \
            ca-certificates \
            ccache \
            gcc \
-           gettext-devel \
            git \
            glib2-devel \
            glibc-locale \
@@ -28,7 +25,11 @@ RUN zypper update -y && \
            libxml2 \
            libxml2-devel \
            make \
+           ninja \
            pkgconfig \
+           python3-pip \
+           python3-setuptools \
+           python3-wheel \
            rpm-build \
            spice-gtk-devel \
            vte-devel && \
@@ -38,6 +39,10 @@ RUN zypper update -y && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/cc && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/$(basename /usr/bin/gcc)
 
+RUN pip3 install \
+         meson==0.54.0
+
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-ubuntu-1804.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-ubuntu-1804.Dockerfile
index a1c90d3..d312b10 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-ubuntu-1804.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-ubuntu-1804.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile ubuntu-1804 libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM docker.io/library/ubuntu:18.04
 
 RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
     apt-get install -y eatmydata && \
     eatmydata apt-get dist-upgrade -y && \
     eatmydata apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y \
-            autoconf \
-            automake \
-            autopoint \
             bash-completion \
             ca-certificates \
             ccache \
@@ -33,7 +30,11 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
             libxml2-utils \
             locales \
             make \
-            pkgconf && \
+            ninja-build \
+            pkgconf \
+            python3-pip \
+            python3-setuptools \
+            python3-wheel && \
     eatmydata apt-get autoremove -y && \
     eatmydata apt-get autoclean -y && \
     sed -Ei 's,^# (en_US\.UTF-8 .*)$,\1,' /etc/locale.gen && \
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/cc && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/$(basename /usr/bin/gcc)
 
+RUN pip3 install \
+         meson==0.54.0
+
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"
diff --git a/ci/containers/ci-ubuntu-2004.Dockerfile b/ci/containers/ci-ubuntu-2004.Dockerfile
index fa42c5d..c46c7fa 100644
--- a/ci/containers/ci-ubuntu-2004.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/containers/ci-ubuntu-2004.Dockerfile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 #  $ lcitool dockerfile ubuntu-2004 libvirt+dist,libvirt-glib+dist,gtk-vnc+dist,virt-viewer
 #
-# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/860993e19c005848fde8087941acdbd7ffdcf295
+# https://gitlab.com/libvirt/libvirt-ci/-/commit/318adcadcf442daba1883f5046ad1970b65e5ca0
 FROM docker.io/library/ubuntu:20.04
 
 RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
     apt-get install -y eatmydata && \
     eatmydata apt-get dist-upgrade -y && \
     eatmydata apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y \
-            autoconf \
-            automake \
-            autopoint \
             bash-completion \
             ca-certificates \
             ccache \
@@ -33,7 +30,11 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
             libxml2-utils \
             locales \
             make \
-            pkgconf && \
+            ninja-build \
+            pkgconf \
+            python3-pip \
+            python3-setuptools \
+            python3-wheel && \
     eatmydata apt-get autoremove -y && \
     eatmydata apt-get autoclean -y && \
     sed -Ei 's,^# (en_US\.UTF-8 .*)$,\1,' /etc/locale.gen && \
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@ RUN export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/cc && \
     ln -s /usr/bin/ccache /usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers/$(basename /usr/bin/gcc)
 
+RUN pip3 install \
+         meson==0.54.0
+
 ENV LANG "en_US.UTF-8"
 ENV MAKE "/usr/bin/make"
+ENV NINJA "/usr/bin/ninja"
 ENV CCACHE_WRAPPERSDIR "/usr/libexec/ccache-wrappers"