diff --git a/docs/Makefile.am b/docs/Makefile.am
index f54336cf35..0584702f7a 100644
--- a/docs/Makefile.am
+++ b/docs/Makefile.am
@@ -300,12 +300,6 @@ html_DATA = $(dot_html)
 schemadir = $(pkgdatadir)/schemas
 schema_DATA = $(wildcard $(srcdir)/schemas/*.rng)
 
-acl_generated = aclperms.htmlinc
-
-aclperms.htmlinc: $(top_srcdir)/src/access/viraccessperm.h \
-        $(top_srcdir)/scripts/genaclperms.py Makefile.am
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(RUNUTF8) $(PYTHON) $(top_srcdir)/scripts/genaclperms.py $< > $@
-
 hvsupport.html: hvsupport.html.in
 
 hvsupport.html.in: $(top_srcdir)/scripts/hvsupport.py $(api_DATA) \
diff --git a/docs/meson.build b/docs/meson.build
index 7fbd46af7c..f271c0aa23 100644
--- a/docs/meson.build
+++ b/docs/meson.build
@@ -29,6 +29,16 @@ docs_assets = [
 
 install_data(docs_assets, install_dir: docs_html_dir)
 
+aclperms_gen = custom_target(
+  'aclperms.htmlinc',
+  input: access_perm_h,
+  output: 'aclperms.htmlinc',
+  command: [
+    meson_python_prog, python3_prog.path(), genaclperms_prog.path(), '@INPUT@',
+  ],
+  capture: true,
+)
+
 docs_timestamp = run_command(
   python3_prog, meson_timestamp_prog.path(), env: runutf8
 ).stdout().strip()