diff --git a/glx/meson.build b/glx/meson.build
index a4af2b846..f13f8f24b 100644
--- a/glx/meson.build
+++ b/glx/meson.build
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ srcs_glx = [
     'xfont.c',
 ]
 
-libxserver_glx = ''
+libxserver_glx = []
 if build_glx
     libxserver_glx = static_library('libxserver_glx',
         srcs_glx,
diff --git a/hw/dmx/meson.build b/hw/dmx/meson.build
index bc693c1c9..f2da0c27b 100644
--- a/hw/dmx/meson.build
+++ b/hw/dmx/meson.build
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ dmx_dep = [
     dl_dep,
 ]
 
-dmx_glx = ''
+dmx_glx = []
 if build_glx
     srcs += 'dmx_glxvisuals.c'
     subdir('glxProxy')
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 2b63f0f19..6e7fc0664 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ if int10 == 'auto'
     endif
 endif
 
-hal_dep = ''
+hal_dep = []
 if hal_option == 'auto'
     if not build_udev
         hal_dep = dependency('hal', required: false)
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ endif
 # XXX: Add more sha1 options, because Linux is about choice
 sha1_dep = nettle_dep
 
-xdmcp_dep = ''
+xdmcp_dep = []
 if get_option('xdmcp')
     xdmcp_dep = dependency('xdmcp')
 endif