diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 6aced835c..86c1e55cf 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ gbm_req = '>= 10.2'
 xf86dgaproto_req = '>= 2.0.99.1'
 xshmfence_req = '>= 1.1'
 
+x11_dep = dependency('x11')
 xproto_dep = dependency('xproto', version: '>= 7.0.31', fallback: ['xorgproto', 'ext_xorgproto'])
 randrproto_dep = dependency('randrproto', version: '>= 1.6.0', fallback: ['xorgproto', 'ext_xorgproto'])
 renderproto_dep = dependency('renderproto', version: '>= 0.11', fallback: ['xorgproto', 'ext_xorgproto'])
diff --git a/test/meson.build b/test/meson.build
index 58a6ca533..7c1663175 100644
--- a/test/meson.build
+++ b/test/meson.build
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ if build_xorg
     unit = executable('tests',
          unit_sources,
          c_args: unit_c_args,
-         dependencies: [pixman_dep, randrproto_dep, inputproto_dep, libxcvt_dep],
+         dependencies: [x11_dep, pixman_dep, randrproto_dep, inputproto_dep, libxcvt_dep],
          include_directories: unit_includes,
          link_args: ldwraps,
          link_with: xorg_link,