diff --git a/gst/parse/meson.build b/gst/parse/meson.build
index 365cd9c4a9..ac3b34de3a 100644
--- a/gst/parse/meson.build
+++ b/gst/parse/meson.build
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ if flexversion_res.returncode() != 0
   error('Could not get flex version (@0@)'.format(flexversion_res.stderr()))
 endif
 
-flexversion = flexversion_res.stdout().split('\n')[0].split(' ')[1].strip()
+flexversion = flexversion_res.stdout().split('\n')[0].split(' ')[-1].strip()
 if flexversion.version_compare('<' + flex_min_version)
   error('flex version @0@ >= @1@: NO'.format(flexversion, flex_min_version))
 else