diff --git a/gio/xdgmime/meson.build b/gio/xdgmime/meson.build
index d107f71bb..4c8a552a2 100644
--- a/gio/xdgmime/meson.build
+++ b/gio/xdgmime/meson.build
@@ -13,4 +13,5 @@ xdgmime_lib = static_library('xdgmime',
   sources : xdgmime_sources,
   include_directories : [configinc],
   pic : true,
-  c_args : [ '-DXDG_PREFIX=_gio_xdg' ] + glib_hidden_visibility_args)
+  c_args : [ '-DHAVE_CONFIG_H',
+             '-DXDG_PREFIX=_gio_xdg' ] + glib_hidden_visibility_args)