diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 6497c26dcc..cc71087b3b 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ gst_pbutils_dep = dependency('gstreamer-pbutils-' + apiversion, version : gst_re
     fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'pbutils_dep'])
 gst_video_dep = dependency('gstreamer-video-' + apiversion, version : gst_req,
     fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'video_dep'])
-gstcheck_dep = dependency('gstreamer-check-1.0', version : gst_req,
-  fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_check_dep'])
 glib_dep = dependency('glib-2.0', version: glib_req)
 gio_dep = dependency('gio-2.0', version: glib_req)
 gmodule_dep = dependency('gmodule-2.0', version: glib_req)
diff --git a/validate/tests/check/meson.build b/validate/tests/check/meson.build
index e61f14dd64..4f31e97a9a 100644
--- a/validate/tests/check/meson.build
+++ b/validate/tests/check/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+gstcheck_dep = dependency('gstreamer-check-1.0', version : gst_req,
+  fallback : ['gstreamer', 'gst_check_dep'])
+
 # tests and condition when to skip the test
 validate_tests = [
   ['validate/padmonitor'],