diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 9f0b93de7c..ed147fbfce 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -97,27 +97,15 @@ gnome = import('gnome')
 gtkdoc = find_program('gtkdoc-scan', required : false)
 
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'internal'
-    gst_proj = subproject('gstreamer')
-
-    if gst_proj.get_variable('disable_gst_debug')
-        message('GStreamer debug system is disabled')
-        add_project_arguments('-Wno-unused', language: 'c')
-    else
-        message('GStreamer debug system is enabled')
-    endif
+  gst_debug_disabled = subproject('gstreamer').get_variable('disable_gst_debug')
 else
-    # We can't check that in the case of subprojects as we won't
-    # be able to build against an internal dependency (which is not built yet)
-    if not cc.compiles('''
-#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
-#ifdef GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG
-#error "debugging disabled, make compiler fail"
-#endif''' , dependencies: gst_dep)
-        message('GStreamer debug system is disabled')
-        add_global_arguments('-Wno-unused', language: 'c')
-    else
-        message('GStreamer debug system is enabled')
-    endif
+  # We can't check that in the case of subprojects as we won't
+  # be able to build against an internal dependency (which is not built yet)
+  gst_debug_disabled = cc.has_header_symbol('gst/gstconfig.h', 'GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG', dependencies: gst_dep)
+endif
+
+if gst_debug_disabled and cc.has_argument('-Wno-unused')
+  add_project_arguments('-Wno-unused', language: 'c')
 endif
 
 subdir('validate')