diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index fb3c4a8378..09c1bf884d 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 # that actually use them.
 
 BUILT_SOURCES =
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES =
 augeas_DATA =
 augeastest_DATA =
 if WITH_DTRACE_PROBES
@@ -31,17 +30,7 @@ RPC_PROBE_FILES =
 
 include locking/Makefile.inc.am
 include admin/Makefile.inc.am
-include qemu/Makefile.inc.am
-include bhyve/Makefile.inc.am
-include libxl/Makefile.inc.am
-include vz/Makefile.inc.am
 include lxc/Makefile.inc.am
-include interface/Makefile.inc.am
-include network/Makefile.inc.am
-include nwfilter/Makefile.inc.am
-include node_device/Makefile.inc.am
-include secret/Makefile.inc.am
-include storage/Makefile.inc.am
 
 
 # Keep this list synced with RPC_PROBE_FILES
@@ -98,18 +87,12 @@ else !WITH_REMOTE
 check-protocol:
 endif !WITH_REMOTE
 
-check-aclrules:
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(RUNUTF8) $(PYTHON) $(top_srcdir)/scripts/check-aclrules.py \
-		$(REMOTE_PROTOCOL) \
-		$(STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES)
-
 check-aclperms:
 	$(AM_V_GEN)$(RUNUTF8) $(PYTHON) $(top_srcdir)/scripts/check-aclperms.py \
 		$(srcdir)/access/viraccessperm.h \
 		$(srcdir)/access/viraccessperm.c
 
 check-local: check-protocol \
-	check-aclrules \
 	check-aclperms check-admin
 .PHONY: check-protocol $(PROTOCOL_STRUCTS:structs=struct)
 
diff --git a/src/bhyve/Makefile.inc.am b/src/bhyve/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index 7a9c6a8724..0000000000
--- a/src/bhyve/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += $(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(BHYVE_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/bhyve/meson.build b/src/bhyve/meson.build
index dbd4c64cea..643e72680e 100644
--- a/src/bhyve/meson.build
+++ b/src/bhyve/meson.build
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ bhyve_sources = files(
 )
 
 driver_source_files += bhyve_sources
+stateful_driver_source_files += bhyve_sources
 
 if conf.has('WITH_BHYVE')
   bhyve_driver_impl = static_library(
diff --git a/src/interface/Makefile.inc.am b/src/interface/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index 6cd6dff3b9..0000000000
--- a/src/interface/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += \
-	$(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(INTERFACE_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/interface/meson.build b/src/interface/meson.build
index f2dd92cf1a..1092c5a267 100644
--- a/src/interface/meson.build
+++ b/src/interface/meson.build
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ if conf.has('WITH_UDEV')
 endif
 
 driver_source_files += files(interface_driver_sources)
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(interface_driver_sources)
 
 if conf.has('WITH_INTERFACE')
   virt_modules += {
diff --git a/src/libxl/Makefile.inc.am b/src/libxl/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index d713f4e75a..0000000000
--- a/src/libxl/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += $(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(LIBXL_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/libxl/meson.build b/src/libxl/meson.build
index 44b2591ec8..7afde2f81f 100644
--- a/src/libxl/meson.build
+++ b/src/libxl/meson.build
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ libxl_driver_sources = [
 ]
 
 driver_source_files += files(libxl_driver_sources)
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(libxl_driver_sources)
 
 if conf.has('WITH_LIBXL')
   libxl_driver_imp = static_library(
diff --git a/src/lxc/Makefile.inc.am b/src/lxc/Makefile.inc.am
index 6abd08e333..564b3519bc 100644
--- a/src/lxc/Makefile.inc.am
+++ b/src/lxc/Makefile.inc.am
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 # vim: filetype=automake
 
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += \
-	$(LXC_MONITOR_PROTOCOL_GENERATED) \
-	$(LXC_MONITOR_GENERATED) \
-	$(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(LXC_DRIVER_SOURCES))
-
 if WITH_LXC
 
 if WITH_DTRACE_PROBES
diff --git a/src/lxc/meson.build b/src/lxc/meson.build
index b2954f40a7..22c8341fb0 100644
--- a/src/lxc/meson.build
+++ b/src/lxc/meson.build
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ driver_source_files += [
   lxc_monitor_generated,
 ]
 
+stateful_driver_source_files += [
+  files(lxc_driver_sources),
+  lxc_monitor_protocol_generated,
+  lxc_monitor_generated,
+]
+
 lxc_controller_sources = files(
   'lxc_conf.c',
   'lxc_container.c',
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 0a366a8256..f2a0ccea22 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -219,6 +219,10 @@ virt_install_dirs = []
 #   driver source files to check
 driver_source_files = []
 
+# stateful_driver_source_files:
+#   stateful driver source files to check
+stateful_driver_source_files = []
+
 
 # list subdirectories
 
@@ -875,3 +879,10 @@ test(
   args: [ check_driverimpls_prog.path(), driver_source_files ],
   env: runutf8,
 )
+
+test(
+  'check-aclrules',
+  python3_prog,
+  args: [ check_aclrules_prog.path(), files('remote/remote_protocol.x'), stateful_driver_source_files ],
+  env: runutf8,
+)
diff --git a/src/network/Makefile.inc.am b/src/network/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index cf5cff4ea8..0000000000
--- a/src/network/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += \
-	$(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(NETWORK_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/network/meson.build b/src/network/meson.build
index 7e316c968e..2e031e811f 100644
--- a/src/network/meson.build
+++ b/src/network/meson.build
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ network_driver_sources = [
 ]
 
 driver_source_files += files(network_driver_sources)
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(network_driver_sources)
 
 network_leases_helper_sources = files(
   'leaseshelper.c',
diff --git a/src/node_device/Makefile.inc.am b/src/node_device/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index ddd906fa78..0000000000
--- a/src/node_device/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += \
-	$(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(NODE_DEVICE_DRIVER_SOURCES)) \
-	$(NULL)
diff --git a/src/node_device/meson.build b/src/node_device/meson.build
index c14f09a793..5953c6b8ed 100644
--- a/src/node_device/meson.build
+++ b/src/node_device/meson.build
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ node_device_driver_sources = [
   'node_device_driver.c',
 ]
 
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(node_device_driver_sources)
+
 if conf.has('WITH_HAL')
   node_device_driver_sources += 'node_device_hal.c'
 endif
diff --git a/src/nwfilter/Makefile.inc.am b/src/nwfilter/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index 68bc42c2ed..0000000000
--- a/src/nwfilter/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += \
-	$(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(NWFILTER_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/nwfilter/meson.build b/src/nwfilter/meson.build
index d4b9cc890b..dcdc30f373 100644
--- a/src/nwfilter/meson.build
+++ b/src/nwfilter/meson.build
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ nwfilter_driver_sources = [
 ]
 
 driver_source_files += files(nwfilter_driver_sources)
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(nwfilter_driver_sources)
 
 if conf.has('WITH_NWFILTER')
   nwfilter_driver_impl = static_library(
diff --git a/src/qemu/Makefile.inc.am b/src/qemu/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index 96265d2893..0000000000
--- a/src/qemu/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += $(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(QEMU_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/qemu/meson.build b/src/qemu/meson.build
index 25cf66b972..644d74479b 100644
--- a/src/qemu/meson.build
+++ b/src/qemu/meson.build
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ qemu_driver_sources = [
 ]
 
 driver_source_files += files(qemu_driver_sources)
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(qemu_driver_sources)
 
 qemu_dtrace_gen_headers = []
 qemu_dtrace_gen_objects = []
diff --git a/src/secret/Makefile.inc.am b/src/secret/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index 361305283a..0000000000
--- a/src/secret/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += \
-	$(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(SECRET_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/secret/meson.build b/src/secret/meson.build
index 4410b781bd..d576d3218e 100644
--- a/src/secret/meson.build
+++ b/src/secret/meson.build
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ secret_driver_sources = [
 ]
 
 driver_source_files += files(secret_driver_sources)
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(secret_driver_sources)
 
 if conf.has('WITH_SECRETS')
   virt_modules += {
diff --git a/src/storage/Makefile.inc.am b/src/storage/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index 0834ac43a6..0000000000
--- a/src/storage/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += \
-	$(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(STORAGE_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/storage/meson.build b/src/storage/meson.build
index 9cb13f2996..18ea0f3fb5 100644
--- a/src/storage/meson.build
+++ b/src/storage/meson.build
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ storage_driver_sources = [
 ]
 
 driver_source_files += files(storage_driver_sources)
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(storage_driver_sources)
 
 storage_backend_fs_sources = [
   'storage_backend_fs.c',
diff --git a/src/vz/Makefile.inc.am b/src/vz/Makefile.inc.am
deleted file mode 100644
index eb6721fb13..0000000000
--- a/src/vz/Makefile.inc.am
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-# vim: filetype=automake
-
-STATEFUL_DRIVER_SOURCE_FILES += $(addprefix $(srcdir)/,$(VZ_DRIVER_SOURCES))
diff --git a/src/vz/meson.build b/src/vz/meson.build
index 7101f092c8..2859dc7979 100644
--- a/src/vz/meson.build
+++ b/src/vz/meson.build
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ vz_driver_sources = [
 ]
 
 driver_source_files += files(vz_driver_sources)
+stateful_driver_source_files += files(vz_driver_sources)
 
 if conf.has('WITH_VZ')
   vz_driver_impl = static_library(