diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 8de644b..033ad9e 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ variables:
   # See the documentation here:                                                 #
   # https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/building_libinput.html  #
   ###############################################################################
-  FEDORA_PACKAGES: 'git diffutils gcc gcc-c++ pkgconf-pkg-config meson systemd-devel libxkbcommon-devel libxml2 doxygen python3-attrs python3-pytest python3-dbusmock python3-jinja2 python3-pip hugo '
-  DEBIAN_PACKAGES: 'git gcc g++ pkg-config meson libsystemd-dev libxkbcommon-dev libxml2 doxygen python3-attr python3-pytest python3-dbusmock python3-jinja2 python3-pip '
+  FEDORA_PACKAGES: 'git diffutils gcc gcc-c++ pkgconf-pkg-config systemd-devel libxkbcommon-devel libxml2 doxygen python3-attrs python3-pytest python3-dbusmock python3-jinja2 python3-pip hugo '
+  DEBIAN_PACKAGES: 'git gcc g++ pkg-config libsystemd-dev libxkbcommon-dev libxml2 doxygen python3-attr python3-pytest python3-dbusmock python3-jinja2 python3-pip '
   ############################ end of package lists #############################
 
   # these tags should be updated each time the list of packages is updated
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ fedora:37@container-prep:
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_VERSION: '37'
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_PACKAGES: $FEDORA_PACKAGES
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_TAG: $FEDORA_TAG
-    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_EXEC: 'pip install structlog strenum'
+    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_EXEC: 'pip install meson ninja structlog strenum'
 
 debian:bullseye@container-prep:
   extends:
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ debian:bullseye@container-prep:
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_VERSION: 'bullseye'
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_PACKAGES: $DEBIAN_PACKAGES
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_TAG: $DEBIAN_TAG
-    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_EXEC: 'pip install structlog strenum'
+    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_EXEC: 'pip install meson ninja structlog strenum'
 
 
 
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/ci.template b/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
index c7be526..0ab4e44 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/ci.template
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ python-ruff:
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_VERSION: '{{version}}'
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_PACKAGES: ${{distro.name.upper()}}_PACKAGES
     FDO_DISTRIBUTION_TAG: ${{distro.name.upper()}}_TAG
-    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_EXEC: 'pip install structlog strenum'
+    FDO_DISTRIBUTION_EXEC: 'pip install meson ninja structlog strenum'
 
 {% endfor %}
 {% endfor %}
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/config.yml b/.gitlab-ci/config.yml
index 9bcd813..d63e6db 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/config.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/config.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ distributions:
       - gcc
       - gcc-c++
       - pkgconf-pkg-config
-      - meson
       - systemd-devel
       - libxkbcommon-devel
       - libxml2
@@ -37,7 +36,6 @@ distributions:
       - gcc
       - g++
       - pkg-config
-      - meson
       - libsystemd-dev
       - libxkbcommon-dev
       - libxml2