diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 69237ac0f1..5e3743c45e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([WITH_MACOS], [test "$with_macos" = "yes"])
 
 # Check for compiler and library settings.
 
-LIBVIRT_ARG_NSS
 LIBVIRT_ARG_PM_UTILS
 
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_NWFILTER
@@ -105,7 +104,6 @@ LIBVIRT_ARG_SYSCTL_CONFIG
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_NUMAD
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_TLS_PRIORITY
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_SYSCTL_CONFIG
-LIBVIRT_CHECK_NSS
 
 
 dnl Need to test if pkg-config exists
@@ -164,7 +162,6 @@ AC_MSG_NOTICE([=====================])
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([])
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([Libraries])
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([])
-LIBVIRT_RESULT_NSS
 LIBVIRT_RESULT_PM_UTILS
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([])
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([Windows])
diff --git a/m4/virt-nss.m4 b/m4/virt-nss.m4
deleted file mode 100644
index b519c36e85..0000000000
--- a/m4/virt-nss.m4
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,86 +0,0 @@
-dnl The libvirt nsswitch plugin
-dnl
-dnl Copyright (C) 2016 Red Hat, Inc.
-dnl
-dnl This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
-dnl modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
-dnl License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
-dnl version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
-dnl
-dnl This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-dnl but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-dnl MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
-dnl Lesser General Public License for more details.
-dnl
-dnl You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
-dnl License along with this library.  If not, see
-dnl <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-dnl
-
-AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_ARG_NSS],[
-  LIBVIRT_ARG_WITH([NSS_PLUGIN],
-                   [enable Name Service Switch plugin for resolving guest
-                    IP addresses], [check])
-])
-
-AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_CHECK_NSS],[
-  bsd_nss=no
-  fail=0
-  if test "x$with_nss_plugin" != "xno" ; then
-    if test "x$with_yajl" != "xyes" ; then
-      if test "x$with_nss_plugin" = "xyes" ; then
-        AC_MSG_ERROR([Can't build nss plugin without yajl])
-      else
-        with_nss_plugin=no
-      fi
-    fi
-
-    if test "x$with_network" != "xyes" ; then
-      if test "x$with_nss_plugin" = "xyes" ; then
-        AC_MSG_ERROR([Can't build nss plugin without network])
-      else
-        with_nss_plugin=no
-      fi
-    fi
-
-    if test "x$with_nss_plugin" != "xno" ; then
-      AC_CHECK_HEADERS([nss.h], [
-          with_nss_plugin=yes
-        ],[
-          if test "x$with_nss_plugin" = "xyes" ; then
-            fail = 1
-          fi
-        ])
-
-      if test $fail = 1 ; then
-        AC_MSG_ERROR([Can't build nss plugin without nss.h])
-      fi
-    fi
-
-    if test "x$with_nss_plugin" = "xyes" ; then
-      AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([WITH_NSS], 1, [whether nss plugin is enabled])
-
-      AC_CHECK_TYPE([struct gaih_addrtuple],
-        [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_STRUCT_GAIH_ADDRTUPLE], [1],
-          [Defined if struct gaih_addrtuple exists in nss.h])],
-        [], [[#include <nss.h>
-        ]])
-
-      AC_CHECK_TYPES([ns_mtab, nss_module_unregister_fn],
-                     [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_BSD_NSS],
-                                [1],
-                                [whether using BSD style NSS])
-                      bsd_nss=yes
-                     ],
-                     [],
-                     [#include <nsswitch.h>])
-    fi
-  fi
-
-  AM_CONDITIONAL(WITH_NSS, [test "x$with_nss_plugin" = "xyes"])
-  AM_CONDITIONAL(WITH_BSD_NSS, [test "x$bsd_nss" = "xyes"])
-])
-
-AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_RESULT_NSS],[
-  LIBVIRT_RESULT([nss], [$with_nss_plugin])
-])
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 63cfd42307..b73e3efef4 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -2126,6 +2126,46 @@ elif get_option('login_shell').enabled()
   error('virt-login-shell is supported on Linux only')
 endif
 
+if not get_option('nss').disabled()
+  use_nss = true
+  if not yajl_dep.found()
+    if get_option('nss').enabled()
+      error('Can\'t build nss plugin without yajl')
+    else
+      use_nss = false
+    endif
+  endif
+
+  if use_nss and not conf.has('WITH_NETWORK')
+    if get_option('nss').enabled()
+      error('Can\'t build nss plugin without network')
+    else
+      use_nss = false
+    endif
+  endif
+
+  if use_nss and not cc.has_header('nss.h')
+    if get_option('nss').enabled()
+      error('Can\'t build nss plugin without nss.h')
+    else
+      use_nss = false
+    endif
+  endif
+
+  if use_nss
+    conf.set('WITH_NSS', 1)
+
+    if cc.has_type('struct gaih_addrtuple', prefix: '#include <nss.h>')
+      conf.set('HAVE_STRUCT_GAIH_ADDRTUPLE', 1)
+    endif
+
+    if (cc.has_type('ns_mtab', prefix: '#include <nsswitch.h>') and
+        cc.has_type('nss_module_unregister_fn', prefix: '#include <nsswitch.h>'))
+      conf.set('WITH_BSD_NSS', 1)
+    endif
+  endif
+endif
+
 
 # define top include directory
 
@@ -2220,6 +2260,7 @@ libs_summary = {
   'macvtap': conf.has('WITH_MACVTAP'),
   'netcf': netcf_dep.found(),
   'NLS': have_gnu_gettext_tools,
+  'nss': conf.has('WITH_NSS'),
   'numaclt': numactl_dep.found(),
   'openwsman': openwsman_dep.found(),
   'pciaccess': pciaccess_dep.found(),
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 98278fe6e6..c66bfc3788 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -97,3 +97,4 @@ option('host_validate', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'build virt
 option('init_script', type: 'combo', choices: ['systemd', 'openrc', 'check', 'none'], value: 'check', description: 'Style of init script to install')
 option('loader_nvram', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'Pass list of pairs of <loader>:<nvram> paths. Both pairs and list items are separated by a colon.')
 option('login_shell', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'build virt-login-shell')
+option('nss', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'enable Name Service Switch plugin for resolving guest IP addresses')