diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 8fb7530c24..4fff2394bd 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -740,6 +740,10 @@ subdir('gtk/css')
 subdir('gdk')
 subdir('gsk')
 subdir('gtk')
+if os_unix
+  cpdb_dep = dependency('cpdb-frontend', version : '>=2.0', required: get_option('print-cpdb'))
+  cups_dep = dependency('cups', version : '>=2.0', required: get_option('print-cups'))
+endif
 subdir('modules')
 if get_option('demos')
   subdir('demos')
diff --git a/modules/printbackends/meson.build b/modules/printbackends/meson.build
index 40c8138ad1..1b02d1bf68 100644
--- a/modules/printbackends/meson.build
+++ b/modules/printbackends/meson.build
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ printbackends_args = [
   '-DGTK_PRINT_BACKEND_ENABLE_UNSUPPORTED',
 ] + common_cflags
 
-cpdb_dep = dependency('cpdb-frontend', version : '>=1.0', required: get_option('print-cpdb'))
-cups_dep = dependency('cups', version : '>=2.0', required: get_option('print-cups'))
-
 # Use cpdb backend if present and enabled.
 # If not, use cups if present.