diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ff05218353..316846f6e7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -289,11 +289,6 @@ Makefile: $(version-obj-y)
 
 COMMON_LDADDS = libqemuutil.a
 
-qemu-img.o: qemu-img-cmds.h
-
-qemu-img$(EXESUF): qemu-img.o $(authz-obj-y) $(block-obj-y) $(crypto-obj-y) $(io-obj-y) $(qom-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
-qemu-nbd$(EXESUF): qemu-nbd.o $(authz-obj-y) $(block-obj-y) $(crypto-obj-y) $(io-obj-y) $(qom-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
-qemu-io$(EXESUF): qemu-io.o $(authz-obj-y) $(block-obj-y) $(crypto-obj-y) $(io-obj-y) $(qom-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 qemu-storage-daemon$(EXESUF): qemu-storage-daemon.o $(authz-obj-y) $(block-obj-y) $(crypto-obj-y) $(chardev-obj-y) $(io-obj-y) $(qom-obj-y) $(storage-daemon-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 
 scsi/qemu-pr-helper$(EXESUF): scsi/qemu-pr-helper.o scsi/utils.o $(authz-obj-y) $(crypto-obj-y) $(io-obj-y) $(qom-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 16cf5cb5be..ac0e59fa5e 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -6719,9 +6719,8 @@ fi
 tools=""
 helpers=""
 if test "$want_tools" = "yes" ; then
-  tools="qemu-img\$(EXESUF) qemu-io\$(EXESUF) $tools"
   if [ "$linux" = "yes" -o "$bsd" = "yes" -o "$solaris" = "yes" ] ; then
-    tools="qemu-nbd\$(EXESUF) qemu-storage-daemon\$(EXESUF) $tools"
+    tools="qemu-storage-daemon\$(EXESUF) $tools"
   fi
 fi
 if test "$softmmu" = yes ; then
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 1d301948b7..7f753afc6e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ if have_system
   ]
 endif
 foreach d : hx_headers
-  custom_target(d[1],
+  hxdep += custom_target(d[1],
                 input: files(d[0]),
                 output: d[1],
                 capture: true,
@@ -559,7 +559,8 @@ libblock = static_library('block', block_ss.sources() + genh,
                           build_by_default: false)
 
 block = declare_dependency(link_whole: [libblock],
-                           link_args: '@block.syms')
+                           link_args: '@block.syms',
+                           dependencies: [crypto, io])
 
 foreach m : block_mods + softmmu_mods
   shared_module(m.name(),
@@ -637,6 +638,15 @@ if 'CONFIG_GUEST_AGENT' in config_host
 endif
 
 if have_tools
+  qemu_img = executable('qemu-img', [files('qemu-img.c'), hxdep],
+             dependencies: [authz, block, crypto, io, qom, qemuutil], install: true)
+  qemu_io = executable('qemu-io', files('qemu-io.c'),
+             dependencies: [block, qemuutil], install: true)
+  if targetos == 'linux' or targetos == 'sunos' or targetos.endswith('bsd')
+    qemu_nbd = executable('qemu-nbd', files('qemu-nbd.c'),
+               dependencies: [block, qemuutil], install: true)
+  endif
+
   subdir('contrib/rdmacm-mux')
   subdir('contrib/elf2dmp')