diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-app/generate-translations.sh b/subprojects/extensions-app/generate-translations.sh
index 5891aa0ef..71ee4d31f 100755
--- a/subprojects/extensions-app/generate-translations.sh
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-app/generate-translations.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ done
 builddir=$(mktemp -d -p.)
 
 meson $builddir
-ninja -C $builddir gnome-extensions-app-pot
-ninja -C $builddir gnome-extensions-app-update-po
+meson compile -C $builddir gnome-extensions-app-pot
+meson compile -C $builddir gnome-extensions-app-update-po
 
 rm -rf $builddir
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/generate-translations.sh b/subprojects/extensions-tool/generate-translations.sh
index 9f630812d..f7cf44789 100755
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/generate-translations.sh
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/generate-translations.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ done
 builddir=$(mktemp -d -p.)
 
 meson -Dman=False $builddir
-ninja -C $builddir gnome-extensions-tool-pot
-ninja -C $builddir gnome-extensions-tool-update-po
+meson compile -C $builddir gnome-extensions-tool-pot
+meson compile -C $builddir gnome-extensions-tool-update-po
 
 rm -rf $builddir