diff --git a/docs/reference/meson.build b/docs/reference/meson.build
index a308cc4c87..4536addda4 100644
--- a/docs/reference/meson.build
+++ b/docs/reference/meson.build
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 if get_option('gtk_doc')
-  glib_prefix = dependency('glib-2.0').get_pkgconfig_variable('prefix')
+  glib_prefix = dependency('glib-2.0').get_variable(pkgconfig: 'prefix', default_value: '/usr')
   glib_docpath = join_paths(glib_prefix, 'share', 'gtk-doc', 'html')
 
-  cairo_prefix = dependency('cairo-gobject').get_pkgconfig_variable('prefix')
+  cairo_prefix = dependency('cairo-gobject').get_variable(pkgconfig: 'prefix', default_value: '/usr')
   cairo_docpath = join_paths(cairo_prefix, 'share', 'gtk-doc', 'html', 'cairo')
 
-  gdkpixbuf_prefix = dependency('gdk-pixbuf-2.0').get_pkgconfig_variable('prefix')
+  gdkpixbuf_prefix = dependency('gdk-pixbuf-2.0').get_variable(pkgconfig: 'prefix', default_value: '/usr')
   gdkpixbuf_docpath = join_paths(gdkpixbuf_prefix, 'share', 'gtk-doc', 'html', 'gdk-pixbuf')
 
   docpath = join_paths(gtk_datadir, 'gtk-doc', 'html')