diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 05d96a73a..4743d63e1 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -332,14 +332,18 @@ endif
 
 libdrm_dep = dependency('libdrm', version: libdrm_req, required: false)
 
+have_eventfd = cc.has_header('sys/eventfd.h')
 if get_option('dri3') == 'auto'
-    build_dri3 = dri3proto_dep.found() and xshmfence_dep.found() and libdrm_dep.found()
+    build_dri3 = dri3proto_dep.found() and xshmfence_dep.found() and libdrm_dep.found() and have_eventfd
 else
     build_dri3 = get_option('dri3') == 'true'
     if build_dri3
        if not xshmfence_dep.found()
            error('DRI3 requested, but xshmfence not found')
        endif
+       if not have_eventfd
+           error('DRI3 requested, but sys/eventfd.h not found')
+       endif
     endif
 endif