diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 21ba74e5f..b4df4a30e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ gio_unix_dep = dependency('gio-unix-2.0', version: glib_req)
 gobject_dep = dependency('gobject-2.0', version: glib_req)
 gthread_dep = dependency('gobject-2.0', version: glib_req)
 gmodule_no_export_dep = dependency('gmodule-no-export-2.0', version: glib_req)
-gnome_settings_daemon_dep = dependency('gnome-settings-daemon')
+gnome_settings_daemon_dep = dependency('gnome-settings-daemon', required: false)
 json_glib_dep = dependency('json-glib-1.0', version: json_glib_req)
 xcomposite_dep = dependency('xcomposite', version: xcomposite_req)
 xcursor_dep = dependency('xcursor')