diff --git a/spa/tests/meson.build b/spa/tests/meson.build
index 990df87bd..16826303a 100644
--- a/spa/tests/meson.build
+++ b/spa/tests/meson.build
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@ if find.found()
   foreach spa_header : spa_headers.stdout().split('\n')
     if spa_header.endswith('.h')  # skip empty lines
       ext = have_cpp ? 'cpp' : 'c'
-      c = configuration_data()
-      c.set('INCLUDE', spa_header)
       src = configure_file(input: 'spa-include-test-template.c',
-                          output: 'spa-include-test-@0@.@1@'.format(spa_header.underscorify(), ext),
-                          configuration: c)
+                           output: 'spa-include-test-@0@.@1@'.format(spa_header.underscorify(), ext),
+                           configuration: {
+                             'INCLUDE': spa_header,
+                           })
       executable('spa-include-test-@0@'.format(spa_header.underscorify()),
                  src,
                  dependencies: [ spa_dep ],