diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a5b3499476..ac155106f6 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -109,13 +109,11 @@ fi
 
 LIBVIRT_ARG_NSS
 LIBVIRT_ARG_PM_UTILS
-LIBVIRT_ARG_VIRTUALPORT
 LIBVIRT_ARG_WIRESHARK
 LIBVIRT_ARG_YAJL
 
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_NWFILTER
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_PM_UTILS
-LIBVIRT_CHECK_VIRTUALPORT
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_WIRESHARK
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_XDR
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_YAJL
@@ -397,7 +395,6 @@ LIBVIRT_RESULT_LIBXL
 LIBVIRT_RESULT_NSS
 LIBVIRT_RESULT_PM_UTILS
 LIBVIRT_RESULT_RBD
-LIBVIRT_RESULT_VIRTUALPORT
 LIBVIRT_RESULT_XDR
 LIBVIRT_RESULT_YAJL
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([])
diff --git a/m4/virt-virtualport.m4 b/m4/virt-virtualport.m4
deleted file mode 100644
index b758efc3c4..0000000000
--- a/m4/virt-virtualport.m4
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,65 +0,0 @@
-dnl The virtualport support check
-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_VIRTUALPORT], [
-  LIBVIRT_ARG_WITH([VIRTUALPORT], [enable virtual port support], [check])
-])
-
-AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_CHECK_VIRTUALPORT],[
-  AC_REQUIRE([LIBVIRT_CHECK_MACVTAP])
-
-  dnl Warn the user and error out if they requested virtualport support
-  dnl with configure options, but the required macvtap support isn't available
-
-  if test "$with_virtualport" = "yes"; then
-    if test "$with_macvtap" = "no"; then
-      AC_MSG_ERROR([--with-virtualport requires --with-macvtap])
-    fi
-  fi
-
-  dnl virtualport checks
-
-  if test "$with_macvtap" != "yes"; then
-    with_virtualport=no
-  fi
-  if test "$with_virtualport" != "no"; then
-    AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether to compile with virtual port support])
-    AC_TRY_COMPILE([ #include <sys/socket.h>
-                     #include <linux/rtnetlink.h> ],
-                     [ int x = IFLA_PORT_MAX; ],
-                     [ with_virtualport=yes ],
-                     [ if test "$with_virtualport" = "yes" ; then
-                       AC_MSG_ERROR([Installed linux headers don't show support for virtual port support.])
-                       fi
-                       with_virtualport=no ])
-    if test "$with_virtualport" = "yes"; then
-      val=1
-    else
-      val=0
-    fi
-    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([WITH_VIRTUALPORT], $val,
-                       [whether vsi vepa support is enabled])
-    AC_MSG_RESULT([$with_virtualport])
-  fi
-  AM_CONDITIONAL([WITH_VIRTUALPORT], [test "$with_virtualport" = "yes"])
-])
-
-AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_RESULT_VIRTUALPORT],[
-  LIBVIRT_RESULT_LIB([VIRTUALPORT])
-])
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a03a8a269c..7eddaf554f 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1393,6 +1393,14 @@ if util_dep.found()
   add_project_link_arguments('-lutil', language: 'c')
 endif
 
+if not get_option('virtualport').disabled()
+  if cc.has_header_symbol('linux/if_link.h', 'IFLA_PORT_MAX')
+    conf.set('WITH_VIRTUALPORT', 1)
+  elif get_option('virtualport').enabled()
+    error('Installed linux headers don\'t show support for virtual port support.')
+  endif
+endif
+
 
 # generic build dependencies checks
 
@@ -1447,6 +1455,10 @@ if udev_dep.found() and not pciaccess_dep.found()
   error('You must install the pciaccess module to build with udev')
 endif
 
+if conf.has('WITH_VIRTUALPORT') and not conf.has('WITH_MACVTAP')
+  error('macvtap is required for virtualport support')
+endif
+
 
 # define top include directory
 
@@ -1503,6 +1515,7 @@ libs_summary = {
   'sasl': sasl_dep.found(),
   'selinux': selinux_dep.found(),
   'udev': udev_dep.found(),
+  'virtualport': conf.has('WITH_VIRTUALPORT'),
 }
 summary(libs_summary, section: 'Libraries', bool_yn: true)
 
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index fa818accec..44ece31590 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ option('sasl', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'sasl supprt')
 option('selinux', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'selinux support')
 option('selinux_mount', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'set SELinux mount point')
 option('udev', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'udev support')
+option('virtualport', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'enable virtual port support')
 
 
 # build driver options