diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 4856dab082..45a5c971a5 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ gstvideo_dep = dependency('gstreamer-video-' + apiversion, version : gst_req,
     fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'video_dep'])
 gstbase_dep = dependency('gstreamer-base-1.0', version : gst_req,
     fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_base_dep'])
+gstcheck_dep = dependency('gstreamer-check-1.0', version : gst_req,
+  fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_check_dep'], required: false)
 gstcontroller_dep = dependency('gstreamer-controller-1.0', version : gst_req,
   fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_controller_dep'])
 gstvalidate_dep = dependency('gst-validate-1.0', version : gst_req, required : false,
diff --git a/tests/check/meson.build b/tests/check/meson.build
index e9ef80883c..e2625e4692 100644
--- a/tests/check/meson.build
+++ b/tests/check/meson.build
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ test_defines = [
   '-DGST_USE_UNSTABLE_API',
 ]
 
-gstcheck_dep = dependency('gstreamer-check-1.0', version : gst_req,
-  fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_check_dep'])
-
 pluginsdirs = []
 if not meson.is_subproject()
   pkgconfig = find_program('pkg-config')