diff --git a/tests/check/meson.build b/tests/check/meson.build
index 2d4b7b831b..62ab7b4385 100644
--- a/tests/check/meson.build
+++ b/tests/check/meson.build
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ pluginsdirs = [  ]
 if not meson.is_subproject()
   pkgconfig = find_program('pkg-config')
   runcmd = run_command(pkgconfig, '--variable=pluginsdir',
-      'gstreamer-' + apiversion)
+      'gstreamer-' + api_version)
 
   if runcmd.returncode() == 0
       pluginsdirs = runcmd.stdout().split()