diff --git a/ext/gtk/meson.build b/ext/gtk/meson.build
index d7167aa3e8..3a30017e75 100644
--- a/ext/gtk/meson.build
+++ b/ext/gtk/meson.build
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ if gtk_dep.found()
       # FIXME: automagic
       gtk_x11_dep = dependency('gtk+-x11-3.0', required : false)
       if gtk_x11_dep.found()
-        optional_deps += gtk_x11_dep
+        optional_deps += [gtk_x11_dep, gstglx11_dep]
         have_gtk3_gl_windowing = true
       endif
     endif
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ if gtk_dep.found()
       # FIXME: automagic
       gtk_wayland_dep = dependency('gtk+-wayland-3.0', required : false)
       if gtk_wayland_dep.found()
-        optional_deps += gtk_wayland_dep
+        optional_deps += [gtk_wayland_dep, gstglegl_dep, gstglwayland_dep]
         have_gtk3_gl_windowing = true
       endif
     endif
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ if gtk_dep.found()
         'gstgtkglsink.c',
         'gtkgstglwidget.c',
       ]
-      optional_deps += gstgl_dep
+      optional_deps += [gstgl_dep, gstglproto_dep]
       gtk_defines += ['-DGST_USE_UNSTABLE_API', '-DHAVE_GTK3_GL']
     endif
   endif
diff --git a/ext/qt/meson.build b/ext/qt/meson.build
index e342f64548..90e967ed13 100644
--- a/ext/qt/meson.build
+++ b/ext/qt/meson.build
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ if gst_gl_have_window_x11 and gst_gl_have_platform_glx
   # FIXME: automagic
   qt5x11extras = dependency('qt5', modules : ['X11Extras'], required : false)
   if qt5x11extras.found()
-    optional_deps += qt5x11extras
+    optional_deps += [qt5x11extras, gstglx11_dep]
     qt_defines += ['-DHAVE_QT_X11']
     have_qt_windowing = true
   endif
@@ -88,8 +88,7 @@ endif
 if gst_gl_have_platform_egl
   # Embedded linux (e.g. i.MX6) with or without windowing support
   qt_defines += ['-DHAVE_QT_EGLFS']
-  egl_dep = dependency('egl', required : false)
-  optional_deps += egl_dep
+  optional_deps += gstglegl_dep
   have_qt_windowing = true
   if have_qpa_include
     # Wayland windowing
@@ -97,7 +96,7 @@ if gst_gl_have_platform_egl
       # FIXME: automagic
       qt5waylandextras = dependency('qt5', modules : ['WaylandClient'], required : false)
       if qt5waylandextras.found()
-        optional_deps += qt5waylandextras
+        optional_deps += [qt5waylandextras, gstglwayland_dep]
         qt_defines += ['-DHAVE_QT_WAYLAND']
         have_qt_windowing = true
       endif
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ if have_qt_windowing
     cpp_args : gst_plugins_good_args + qt_defines,
     link_args : noseh_link_args,
     include_directories: [configinc, libsinc],
-    dependencies : [glib_deps, gst_dep, gstvideo_dep, gstgl_dep, qt5qml_dep, optional_deps],
+    dependencies : [glib_deps, gst_dep, gstvideo_dep, gstgl_dep, gstglproto_dep, qt5qml_dep, optional_deps],
     override_options : ['cpp_std=c++11'],
     install: true,
     install_dir : plugins_install_dir)
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 4c3262d1cb..0159e5385a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -271,6 +271,10 @@ gstvideo_dep = dependency('gstreamer-video-1.0', version : gst_req,
 # FIXME: automagic
 gstgl_dep = dependency('gstreamer-gl-1.0', version : gst_req,
     fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'gstgl_dep'], required: false)
+gstglproto_dep = dependency('', required : false)
+gstglx11_dep = dependency('', required : false)
+gstglwayland_dep = dependency('', required : false)
+gstglegl_dep = dependency('', required : false)
 
 have_gstgl = gstgl_dep.found()
 
@@ -301,6 +305,25 @@ if have_gstgl
   foreach api : ['gl', 'gles2']
     set_variable('gst_gl_have_api_@0@'.format(api), gst_gl_apis.contains(api))
   endforeach
+
+  gstglproto_dep = dependency('gstreamer-gl-prototypes-1.0', version : gst_req,
+      fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'gstglproto_dep'], required: true)
+  # Behind specific checks because meson fails at optional dependencies with a
+  # fallback to the same subproject.  On the first failure, meson will never
+  # check the system again even if the fallback never existed.
+  # Last checked with meson 0.54.3
+  if gst_gl_have_window_x11
+    gstglx11_dep = dependency('gstreamer-gl-x11-1.0', version : gst_req,
+       fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'gstglx11_dep'], required: true)
+  endif
+  if gst_gl_have_window_wayland
+    gstglwayland_dep = dependency('gstreamer-gl-wayland-1.0', version : gst_req,
+        fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'gstglwayland_dep'], required: true)
+  endif
+  if gst_gl_have_platform_egl
+    gstglegl_dep = dependency('gstreamer-gl-egl-1.0', version : gst_req,
+        fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'gstglegl_dep'], required: true)
+  endif
 endif
 
 zlib_dep = dependency('zlib', required : false)
diff --git a/tests/examples/gtk/meson.build b/tests/examples/gtk/meson.build
index b3e4cc15b5..76e9f4f8ea 100644
--- a/tests/examples/gtk/meson.build
+++ b/tests/examples/gtk/meson.build
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ if have_gstgl
     install: false)
 
   executable('glliveshader', 'glliveshader.c',
-    dependencies: [gst_dep, gstgl_dep, gtk_dep, x11_dep],
+    dependencies: [gst_dep, gstgl_dep, gstglproto_dep, gtk_dep, x11_dep],
     c_args: gst_plugins_good_args,
     include_directories: [configinc],
     install: false)