diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 75201e1ebe..e691919c99 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@
 ## License along with this library.  If not, see
 ## <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-if WITH_QEMU
-test_helpers += qemucapsprobe
-endif WITH_QEMU
-
-if WITH_NSS
-test_helpers += nsslinktest nssguestlinktest
-endif WITH_NSS
-
 test_scripts =
 libvirtd_test_scripts = \
 	libvirtd-fail \
@@ -67,8 +59,6 @@ file-access-clean:
 	> test_file_access.txt
 endif WITH_LINUX
 
-noinst_PROGRAMS = $(test_helpers)
-
 TESTS = $(test_scripts)
 
 VALGRIND = valgrind --quiet --leak-check=full --trace-children=yes \
@@ -76,29 +66,3 @@ VALGRIND = valgrind --quiet --leak-check=full --trace-children=yes \
 	--suppressions=$(abs_srcdir)/.valgrind.supp
 valgrind:
 	$(MAKE) check VG="$(LIBTOOL) --mode=execute $(VALGRIND)"
-
-if WITH_QEMU
-qemucapsprobe_SOURCES = \
-	qemucapsprobe.c
-qemucapsprobe_LDADD = \
-	libqemutestdriver.la $(LDADDS)
-endif WITH_QEMU
-
-if WITH_NSS
-## Intentionaly not linking with anything else.
-## See the test source for more detailed explanation.
-nsslinktest_SOURCES = nsslinktest.c
-nsslinktest_CFLAGS = \
-	$(AM_CFLAGS) \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/tools/nss
-nsslinktest_LDADD = ../tools/nss/libnss_libvirt_impl.la
-nsslinktest_LDFLAGS = $(NULL)
-
-nssguestlinktest_SOURCES = nsslinktest.c
-nssguestlinktest_CFLAGS = \
-	-DLIBVIRT_NSS_GUEST \
-	$(AM_CFLAGS) \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/tools/nss
-nssguestlinktest_LDADD = ../tools/nss/libnss_libvirt_guest_impl.la
-nssguestlinktest_LDFLAGS = $(NULL)
-endif WITH_NSS
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index d1f35d9a48..cd59730d21 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -591,6 +591,34 @@ endforeach
 
 helpers = []
 
+if conf.has('WITH_NSS')
+  helpers += [
+    # Intentionaly not linking with anything else.
+    # See the test source for more detailed explanation.
+    {
+      'name': 'nsslinktest',
+      'include': [ nss_inc_dir ],
+      'link_with': [ nss_libvirt_impl ],
+    },
+    {
+      'name': 'nssguestlinktest',
+      'sources': [ 'nsslinktest.c' ],
+      'c_args': [ '-DLIBVIRT_NSS_GUEST' ],
+      'include': [ nss_inc_dir ],
+      'link_with': [ nss_libvirt_guest_impl ],
+    },
+  ]
+endif
+
+if conf.has('WITH_QEMU')
+  helpers += [
+    {
+      'name': 'qemucapsprobe',
+      'link_with': [ test_qemu_driver_lib, libvirt_lib ],
+    },
+  ]
+endif
+
 foreach data : helpers
   helper_sources = '@0@.c'.format(data['name'])
   helper_bin = executable(