diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index f393119153..80580b3e70 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -16,17 +16,6 @@
 ## License along with this library.  If not, see
 ## <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-if WITH_REMOTE
-test_programs += \
-	virnetmessagetest \
-	virnetsockettest \
-	virnetdaemontest \
-	virnetserverclienttest \
-	virnettlscontexttest \
-	virnettlssessiontest \
-	$(NULL)
-endif WITH_REMOTE
-
 if WITH_SECDRIVER_SELINUX
 if WITH_ATTR
 test_programs += securityselinuxtest \
@@ -215,41 +204,6 @@ storagepoolcapstest_SOURCES = \
 storagepoolcapstest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
 endif WITH_STORAGE
 
-virnetmessagetest_SOURCES = \
-	virnetmessagetest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virnetmessagetest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
-
-virnetsockettest_SOURCES = \
-	virnetsockettest.c testutils.h testutils.c
-virnetsockettest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
-
-virnetdaemontest_SOURCES = \
-	virnetdaemontest.c \
-	testutils.h testutils.c
-virnetdaemontest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
-
-virnetserverclienttest_SOURCES = \
-	virnetserverclienttest.c \
-	testutils.h testutils.c
-virnetserverclienttest_LDADD = $(LDADDS)
-
-virnettlscontexttest_SOURCES = \
-	virnettlscontexttest.c \
-	virnettlshelpers.h virnettlshelpers.c \
-	testutils.h testutils.c
-virnettlscontexttest_LDADD = $(LDADDS) $(GNUTLS_LIBS)
-virnettlssessiontest_SOURCES = \
-	virnettlssessiontest.c \
-	virnettlshelpers.h virnettlshelpers.c \
-	testutils.h testutils.c
-virnettlssessiontest_LDADD = $(LDADDS) $(GNUTLS_LIBS)
-if HAVE_LIBTASN1
-virnettlscontexttest_SOURCES += pkix_asn1_tab.c
-virnettlscontexttest_LDADD += -ltasn1
-virnettlssessiontest_SOURCES += pkix_asn1_tab.c
-virnettlssessiontest_LDADD += -ltasn1
-endif HAVE_LIBTASN1
-
 virstoragetest_SOURCES = \
 	virstoragetest.c testutils.h testutils.c
 virstoragetest_LDADD = $(LDADDS) \
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index cde9710b24..ced67183e3 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -461,6 +461,27 @@ if conf.has('WITH_QEMU')
   ]
 endif
 
+if conf.has('WITH_REMOTE')
+  tests += [
+    { 'name': 'virnetdaemontest' },
+    { 'name': 'virnetmessagetest' },
+    { 'name': 'virnetserverclienttest' },
+    { 'name': 'virnetsockettest' },
+  ]
+
+  nettls_sources = [ 'virnettlshelpers.c' ]
+  if conf.has('HAVE_LIBTASN1_H')
+    nettls_sources += 'pkix_asn1_tab.c'
+  endif
+
+  libtasn1_dep = cc.find_library('tasn1', required: false)
+
+  tests += [
+    { 'name': 'virnettlscontexttest', 'sources': [ 'virnettlscontexttest.c', nettls_sources ], 'deps': [ libtasn1_dep, ] },
+    { 'name': 'virnettlssessiontest', 'sources': [ 'virnettlssessiontest.c', nettls_sources ], 'deps': [ libtasn1_dep, ] },
+  ]
+endif
+
 foreach data : tests
   test_sources = '@0@.c'.format(data['name'])
   test_bin = executable(