diff --git a/include/meson.build b/include/meson.build
index 30f44c7d7..025a5443e 100644
--- a/include/meson.build
+++ b/include/meson.build
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ conf_data.set_quoted('COMPILEDDEFAULTFONTPATH', default_font_path)
 conf_data.set('XORG_VERSION_CURRENT', release)
 
 conf_data.set('HASXDMAUTH', has_xdm_auth ? '1' : false)
-conf_data.set('SECURE_RPC', get_option('secure-rpc') ? '1' : false)
 
 conf_data.set('HAVE_DLFCN_H', cc.has_header('dlfcn.h') ? '1' : false)
 conf_data.set('HAVE_EXECINFO_H', cc.has_header('execinfo.h') ? '1' : false)
diff --git a/os/meson.build b/os/meson.build
index 84acc0924..ee030a1d0 100644
--- a/os/meson.build
+++ b/os/meson.build
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ if get_option('xdmcp')
     srcs_os += 'xdmcp.c'
 endif
 
+os_dep = []
+os_c_args = []
+
 rpc_dep = []
 if get_option('secure-rpc')
     # prefer libtirpc (if available), otherwise ensure RPC functions are
@@ -66,10 +69,10 @@ if get_option('secure-rpc')
     endif
     # XXX: also check if RPC library provides xdr_opaque_auth, authdes_(sec)create ???
     srcs_os += 'rpcauth.c'
+
+    os_c_args += '-DSECURE_RPC'
 endif
 
-os_dep = []
-os_c_args = []
 if get_option('xres')
     # Only the XRes extension cares about the client ID.
     os_c_args += '-DCLIENTIDS'