diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5731d739f1..78d3a78e97 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -318,7 +318,6 @@ dummy := $(call unnest-vars,, \
                 ivshmem-server-obj-y \
                 virtiofsd-obj-y \
                 rdmacm-mux-obj-y \
-                libvhost-user-obj-y \
                 vhost-user-scsi-obj-y \
                 vhost-user-blk-obj-y \
                 vhost-user-input-obj-y \
@@ -443,11 +442,6 @@ $(BUILD_DIR)/version.o: $(SRC_PATH)/version.rc config-host.h
 
 Makefile: $(version-obj-y)
 
-######################################################################
-# Build libraries
-
-libvhost-user.a: $(libvhost-user-obj-y)
-
 ######################################################################
 
 COMMON_LDADDS = libqemuutil.a
@@ -546,9 +540,9 @@ ivshmem-client$(EXESUF): $(ivshmem-client-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 ivshmem-server$(EXESUF): $(ivshmem-server-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 	$(call LINK, $^)
 endif
-vhost-user-scsi$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-scsi-obj-y) libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
+vhost-user-scsi$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-scsi-obj-y) contrib/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 	$(call LINK, $^)
-vhost-user-blk$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-blk-obj-y) libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
+vhost-user-blk$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-blk-obj-y) contrib/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 	$(call LINK, $^)
 
 rdmacm-mux$(EXESUF): LIBS += "-libumad"
@@ -557,16 +551,16 @@ rdmacm-mux$(EXESUF): $(rdmacm-mux-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 
 # relies on Linux-specific syscalls
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_LINUX)$(CONFIG_SECCOMP)$(CONFIG_LIBCAP_NG),yyy)
-virtiofsd$(EXESUF): $(virtiofsd-obj-y) libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
+virtiofsd$(EXESUF): $(virtiofsd-obj-y) contrib/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 	$(call LINK, $^)
 endif
 
-vhost-user-gpu$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-gpu-obj-y) libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
+vhost-user-gpu$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-gpu-obj-y) contrib/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 	$(call LINK, $^)
 
 ifdef CONFIG_VHOST_USER_INPUT
 ifdef CONFIG_LINUX
-vhost-user-input$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-input-obj-y) libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
+vhost-user-input$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-input-obj-y) contrib/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 	$(call LINK, $^)
 
 # build by default, do not install
diff --git a/Makefile.objs b/Makefile.objs
index e5c9077517..9489864967 100644
--- a/Makefile.objs
+++ b/Makefile.objs
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@ qga-vss-dll-obj-y = qga/
 elf2dmp-obj-y = contrib/elf2dmp/
 ivshmem-client-obj-$(CONFIG_IVSHMEM) = contrib/ivshmem-client/
 ivshmem-server-obj-$(CONFIG_IVSHMEM) = contrib/ivshmem-server/
-libvhost-user-obj-y = contrib/libvhost-user/
 vhost-user-scsi.o-cflags := $(LIBISCSI_CFLAGS)
 vhost-user-scsi.o-libs := $(LIBISCSI_LIBS)
 vhost-user-scsi-obj-y = contrib/vhost-user-scsi/
diff --git a/contrib/libvhost-user/Makefile.objs b/contrib/libvhost-user/Makefile.objs
deleted file mode 100644
index ef3778edd4..0000000000
--- a/contrib/libvhost-user/Makefile.objs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-libvhost-user-obj-y += libvhost-user.o libvhost-user-glib.o
diff --git a/contrib/libvhost-user/meson.build b/contrib/libvhost-user/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e68dd1a581
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/libvhost-user/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+libvhost_user = static_library('vhost-user',
+                               files('libvhost-user.c', 'libvhost-user-glib.c'),
+                               build_by_default: false)
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index feb3c8a30c..00f17ef36f 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -243,6 +243,14 @@ libqemuutil = static_library('qemuutil',
 qemuutil = declare_dependency(link_with: libqemuutil,
                               sources: genh + version_res)
 
+# Other build targets
+
+if have_tools
+  if 'CONFIG_VHOST_USER' in config_host
+    subdir('contrib/libvhost-user')
+  endif
+endif
+
 summary_info = {}
 summary_info += {'Install prefix':    config_host['prefix']}
 summary_info += {'BIOS directory':    config_host['qemu_datadir']}