diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index c50de25146..fa2f7e3544 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1060,7 +1060,8 @@ threads = dependency('threads')
 librt = cc.find_library('rt')
 libm = cc.find_library('m')
 libdl = cc.find_library('dl')
-libcrypt = cc.find_library('crypt')
+libcrypt = dependency('libcrypt')
+libcap = dependency('libcap')
 
 # On some architectures, libatomic is required. But on some installations,
 # it is found, but actual linking fails. So let's try to use it opportunistically.
@@ -1084,12 +1085,6 @@ foreach ident : [
         conf.set10('HAVE_' + ident[0].to_upper(), have)
 endforeach
 
-libcap = dependency('libcap', required : false)
-if not libcap.found()
-        # Compat with Ubuntu 14.04 which ships libcap w/o .pc file
-        libcap = cc.find_library('cap')
-endif
-
 want_bpf_framework = get_option('bpf-framework')
 bpf_compiler = get_option('bpf-compiler')
 bpf_framework_required = want_bpf_framework == 'true'
@@ -1270,7 +1265,7 @@ conf.set10('ENABLE_POLKIT', install_polkit)
 
 want_acl = get_option('acl')
 if want_acl != 'false' and not skip_deps
-        libacl = cc.find_library('acl', required : want_acl == 'true')
+        libacl = dependency('libacl', required : want_acl == 'true')
         have = libacl.found()
 else
         have = false
@@ -1327,8 +1322,15 @@ conf.set10('HAVE_XENCTRL', have)
 
 want_pam = get_option('pam')
 if want_pam != 'false' and not skip_deps
-        libpam = cc.find_library('pam', required : want_pam == 'true')
-        libpam_misc = cc.find_library('pam_misc', required : want_pam == 'true')
+        libpam = dependency('pam', required : false)
+        if not libpam.found()
+                # Debian older than bookworm and Ubuntu older than 22.10 do not provide the .pc file.
+                libpam = cc.find_library('pam', required : want_pam == 'true')
+        endif
+        libpam_misc = dependency('pam_misc', required : false)
+        if not libpam_misc.found()
+                libpam_misc = cc.find_library('pam_misc', required : want_pam == 'true')
+        endif
         have = libpam.found() and libpam_misc.found()
 else
         have = false
@@ -1457,8 +1459,12 @@ conf.set10('HAVE_QRENCODE', have)
 
 want_gcrypt = get_option('gcrypt')
 if want_gcrypt != 'false' and not skip_deps
-        libgcrypt = cc.find_library('gcrypt', required : want_gcrypt == 'true')
-        libgpg_error = cc.find_library('gpg-error', required : want_gcrypt == 'true')
+        libgcrypt = dependency('libgcrypt', required : want_gcrypt == 'true')
+        libgpg_error = dependency('gpg-error', required : false)
+        if not libgpg_error.found()
+                # CentOS 8 does not provide the .pc file.
+                libgpg_error = cc.find_library('gpg-error', required : want_gcrypt == 'true')
+        endif
         have = libgcrypt.found() and libgpg_error.found()
 else
         have = false
@@ -1568,8 +1574,11 @@ conf.set10('HAVE_ZLIB', have)
 
 want_bzip2 = get_option('bzip2')
 if want_bzip2 != 'false' and not skip_deps
-        libbzip2 = cc.find_library('bz2',
-                                   required : want_bzip2 == 'true')
+        libbzip2 = dependency('bzip2', required : false)
+        if not libbzip2.found()
+                # Debian and Ubuntu do not provide the .pc file.
+                libbzip2 = cc.find_library('bz2', required : want_bzip2 == 'true')
+        endif
         have = libbzip2.found()
 else
         have = false