diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 546bb4e4b..0f0a4442a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -141,8 +141,15 @@ endif
 
 dfp = get_option('default_font_path')
 if dfp == ''
-    fontutil_dep = dependency('fontutil')
-    fontrootdir = fontutil_dep.get_pkgconfig_variable('fontrootdir')
+    fontrootdir = get_option('fontrootdir')
+    if fontrootdir == ''
+        fontutil_dep = dependency('fontutil', required: false)
+        if fontutil_dep.found()
+            fontrootdir = fontutil_dep.get_pkgconfig_variable('fontrootdir')
+        else
+            fontrootdir = join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('datadir'), 'fonts', 'X11')
+        endif
+    endif
     dfp_elements = [
         join_paths(fontrootdir, 'misc'),
         join_paths(fontrootdir, 'TTF'),
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index ed3b11677..11d576780 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ option('log_dir', type: 'string')
 option('module_dir', type: 'string', value: 'xorg/modules',
        description: 'X.Org modules directory (absolute or relative to the directory specified by the libdir option)')
 option('default_font_path', type: 'string')
+option('fontrootdir', type: 'string',
+        description: 'Root directory for legacy fonts. Default: from font-utils.pc or $datadir/fonts/X11')
 
 option('glx', type: 'boolean', value: true)
 option('xdmcp', type: 'boolean', value: true)