diff --git a/tools/builder/core.sh b/tools/builder/core.sh
index 2d0190bc..dd7e2f01 100644
--- a/tools/builder/core.sh
+++ b/tools/builder/core.sh
@@ -221,10 +221,6 @@ FFMPEG_DISTS='
 
 : ${PATH_SEP:=':'}
 
-# these two can be set to always be included regardless of overrides
-export CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS="$CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS"
-export CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS="$CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS"
-
 export CMAKE_BASE_ARGS="$CMAKE_BASE_ARGS -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=NO -DENABLE_SHARED=NO -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH:FILEPATH=\"\$CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH\" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release"
 
 export CONFIGURE_INSTALL_ARGS="--prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc"
@@ -241,7 +237,7 @@ fi
 
 export CONFIGURE_ARGS="$CONFIGURE_ARGS --disable-shared --enable-static $CONFIGURE_INSTALL_ARGS"
 export CMAKE_ARGS="$CMAKE_BASE_ARGS $CMAKE_ARGS $CMAKE_INSTALL_ARGS"
-export MESON_ARGS="--buildtype release --default-library static -Dintrospection=false $MESON_INSTALL_ARGS"
+export MESON_ARGS="$MESON_BASE_ARGS --buildtype release --default-library static -Dintrospection=false $MESON_INSTALL_ARGS"
 
 DIST_PATCHES=$DIST_PATCHES'
     m4              https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gentoo/gentoo/master/sys-devel/m4/files/m4-1.4.18-glibc228.patch
@@ -334,7 +330,7 @@ DIST_CONFIGURE_OVERRIDES="$DIST_CONFIGURE_OVERRIDES
     XML-SAX     echo no | PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=0 perl Makefile.PL
     wxwidgets   ./configure \$CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS --disable-shared --prefix=/usr --enable-stl --disable-precomp-headers --enable-cxx11 --enable-permissive --with-opengl --with-libpng
     libvpx      ./configure --disable-shared --enable-static --prefix=/usr --disable-unit-tests --disable-tools --disable-docs --disable-examples
-    ffmpeg      ./configure --disable-shared --enable-static --prefix=/usr --pkg-config-flags=--static --enable-nonfree --extra-version=tessus --enable-avisynth --enable-fontconfig --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgsm --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopus --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-libzmq --enable-openssl --enable-lzma --extra-cflags='-DMODPLUG_STATIC -DZMQ_STATIC' --extra-cxxflags='-DMODPLUG_STATIC -DZMQ_STATIC' --extra-objcflags='-DMODPLUG_STATIC -DZMQ_STATIC'
+    ffmpeg      ./configure --disable-shared --enable-static --prefix=/usr --pkg-config-flags=--static --enable-nonfree --extra-version=tessus --enable-avisynth --enable-fontconfig --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgsm --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopus --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-libzmq --enable-openssl --enable-lzma --extra-cflags='-DMODPLUG_STATIC -DZMQ_STATIC' --extra-cxxflags='-DMODPLUG_STATIC -DZMQ_STATIC' --extra-objcflags='-DMODPLUG_STATIC -DZMQ_STATIC' --extra-libs=-liconv
 "
 
 DIST_BUILD_OVERRIDES="$DIST_BUILD_OVERRIDES
@@ -483,6 +479,10 @@ pre_build_all() {
 setup() {
     detect_os
 
+    mkdir -p "$BUILD_ROOT/tmp"
+
+    rm -rf "$BUILD_ROOT/tmp/"*
+
     mkdir -p "$BUILD_ROOT/root/include"
     [ -L "$BUILD_ROOT/root/inc" ] || ln -s "$BUILD_ROOT/root/include" "$BUILD_ROOT/root/inc"
 
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ debian_install_core_deps() {
     installing_core_deps
 
     sudo apt-get -qq update || :
-    sudo apt-get -qy install build-essential g++ curl ccache perl
+    sudo apt-get -qy install build-essential g++ curl ccache perl meson
 
     done_msg
 }
@@ -628,13 +628,13 @@ debian_install_core_deps() {
 fedora_install_core_deps() {
     installing_core_deps
 
-    sudo dnf install -y --nogpgcheck --best --allowerasing gcc gcc-c++ make redhat-rpm-config curl perl ccache file patch findutils
+    sudo dnf install -y --nogpgcheck --best --allowerasing gcc gcc-c++ make redhat-rpm-config curl perl ccache file patch findutils meson
 }
 
 suse_install_core_deps() {
     installing_core_deps
 
-    sudo zypper in -y gcc gcc-c++ binutils glibc-devel-static make curl perl ccache file patch
+    sudo zypper in -y gcc gcc-c++ binutils glibc-devel-static make curl perl ccache file patch meson
 }
 
 arch_install_core_deps() {
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ arch_install_core_deps() {
     sudo pacman -Sy
 
     # not using the base-devel group because it can break gcc-multilib
-    sudo pacman --noconfirm --needed -S $gcc_pkg binutils file grep gawk gzip make patch sed util-linux curl ccache perl
+    sudo pacman --noconfirm --needed -S $gcc_pkg binutils file grep gawk gzip make patch sed util-linux curl ccache perl meson
 
     done_msg
 }
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ solus_install_core_deps() {
     installing_core_deps
 
     sudo eopkg -y update-repo
-    sudo eopkg -y install -c system.devel curl perl
+    sudo eopkg -y install -c system.devel curl perl meson
 
     done_msg
 }
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ cygwin_install_core_deps() {
         set -- "$@" "${target}-${p}"
     done
 
-    apt-cyg install make tar patch diffutils ccache perl m4 cygwin32-w32api-headers gcc-core gcc-g++ mpfr windows-default-manifest python2 libncurses-devel "$@"
+    apt-cyg install make tar patch diffutils ccache perl m4 cygwin32-w32api-headers gcc-core gcc-g++ mpfr windows-default-manifest python2 libncurses-devel meson "$@"
 
     # alias python2 to python
     ln -sf /usr/bin/python2.exe "$BUILD_ROOT/root/bin/python.exe"
@@ -748,7 +748,7 @@ mac_install_core_deps() {
         error 'Please install Mac Homebrew: ;https://brew.sh/'
     fi
 
-    brew -v install perl
+    brew -v install perl meson
 }
 
 setup_tmp_dir() {
@@ -1660,9 +1660,9 @@ make_install() {
     cd ..
 
     if grep -Eq 'DESTDIR|cmake_install\.cmake' $(find . -name Makefile -o -name makefile -o -name '*.mk' -o -name '*.mak') 2>/dev/null; then
-        echo_run make install prefix="${prefix}" PREFIX="${prefix}" DESTDIR="$PWD/destdir" "$@" || :
+        echo_eval_run make install $(dist_make_args $current_dist) prefix="${prefix}" PREFIX="${prefix}" DESTDIR="$PWD/destdir" "$@" || :
     else
-        echo_run make install prefix="$PWD/destdir${prefix}" PREFIX="$PWD/destdir${prefix}" INSTALL_PREFIX="$PWD/destdir${prefix}" INSTALL_ROOT="$PWD/destdir${prefix}" INSTALLTOP="/..${prefix}/" "$@" || :
+        echo_eval_run make install $(dist_make_args $current_dist) prefix="$PWD/destdir${prefix}" PREFIX="$PWD/destdir${prefix}" INSTALL_PREFIX="$PWD/destdir${prefix}" INSTALL_ROOT="$PWD/destdir${prefix}" INSTALLTOP="/..${prefix}/" "$@" || :
     fi
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/builder/mingw-cross.sh b/tools/builder/mingw-cross.sh
index 777636a2..a35fc4c1 100644
--- a/tools/builder/mingw-cross.sh
+++ b/tools/builder/mingw-cross.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ set -e
 target_bits=64
 target_cpu=x86_64
 lib_suffix=64
+target_endian=little
 
 case "$1" in
     -64)
@@ -61,6 +62,40 @@ export CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS="--host=${target_arch}"
 
 export CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS="$CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE='$(perl -MCwd=abs_path -le "print abs_path(q{${0%/*}/../../cmake/Toolchain-cross-MinGW-w64-${target_cpu}.cmake})")'"
 
+export MESON_BASE_ARGS=""
+
+lc_build_os=$(uname -s | tr 'A-Z' 'a-z')
+
+meson() {
+    if [ -z "$HOST_ENV" ]; then
+        cat >$BUILD_ROOT/tmp/meson_cross_$$.txt <<EOF
+[host_machine]
+system     = 'windows'
+cpu_family = '$target_cpu'
+cpu        = '$target_cpu'
+endian     = '$target_endian'
+
+[binaries]
+c       = '${CC#ccache }'
+cpp     = '${CXX#ccache }'
+windres = '${target_arch}-windres'
+strip   = '$STRIP'
+
+[properties]
+c_args        = '$CPPFLAGS $CFLAGS'
+c_link_args   = '$LDFLAGS'
+cpp_args      = '$CPPFLAGS $CXXFLAGS'
+cpp_link_args = '$LDFLAGS'
+EOF
+
+        # meson is fucking retarded, we set all these in the cross file
+        CC= CXX= CPPFLAGS= CFLAGS= CXXFLAGS= LDFLAGS= command meson --cross-file $BUILD_ROOT/tmp/meson_cross_$$.txt "$@"
+    else
+        # in the host build case, we can use the environment
+        command meson "$@"
+    fi
+}
+
 . "${0%/*}/../builder/mingw.sh"
 
 installing_cross_deps() {
@@ -96,18 +131,21 @@ suse_install_cross_deps() {
     sudo zypper in -y "$@" gettext-tools wxGTK3-3_2-devel python3-pip
 }
 
-case "$linux_distribution" in
-    fedora)
-        installing_cross_deps
-        fedora_install_cross_deps
-        done_msg
-        ;;
-    suse)
-        installing_cross_deps
-        suse_install_cross_deps
-        done_msg
-        ;;
-esac
+# do not install deps if there are other options like --env
+if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
+    case "$linux_distribution" in
+        fedora)
+            installing_cross_deps
+            fedora_install_cross_deps
+            done_msg
+            ;;
+        suse)
+            installing_cross_deps
+            suse_install_cross_deps
+            done_msg
+            ;;
+    esac
+fi
 
 openssl_host=mingw
 [ "$target_bits" -eq 64 ] && openssl_host=mingw64
@@ -123,8 +161,6 @@ table_line_append DIST_PATCHES openal '-p0 https://gist.githubusercontent.com/rk
 
 table_line_replace DIST_POST_BUILD harfbuzz "$(table_line DIST_POST_BUILD harfbuzz | sed 's/rebuild_dist freetype /rebuild_dist freetype-target /')"
 
-table_line_append DIST_ARGS glib --with-python=/usr/bin/python3
-
 table_line_replace DIST_POST_BUILD glib     "$(table_line DIST_POST_BUILD glib     | sed 's/rebuild_dist gettext /rebuild_dist gettext-target /')"
 
 table_line_append DIST_ARGS libsoxr '-DHAVE_WORDS_BIGENDIAN_EXITCODE=0'
diff --git a/tools/builder/mingw.sh b/tools/builder/mingw.sh
index fa003e9a..6ba91fb1 100644
--- a/tools/builder/mingw.sh
+++ b/tools/builder/mingw.sh
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ export CROSS_OS=windows
 
 BUILD_ENV=$BUILD_ENV$(cat <<EOF
 
-export CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS${CPPFLAGS:+ }-DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API"
-export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS${CFLAGS:+ }-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -static -lpthread -DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -lm"
-export CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS${CXXFLAGS:+ }-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -static -lpthread -DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -lm"
-export OBJCXXFLAGS="$OBJCXXFLAGS${OBJCXXFLAGS:+ }-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -static -lpthread -DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -lm"
-export LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS${LDFLAGS:+ }-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -static -lpthread -DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -lm"
+export CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS${CPPFLAGS:+ }-DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -DFFI_STATIC_BUILD"
+export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS${CFLAGS:+ }-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -static -lpthread -DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -DFFI_STATIC_BUILD -lm"
+export CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS${CXXFLAGS:+ }-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -static -lpthread -DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -DFFI_STATIC_BUILD -lm"
+export OBJCXXFLAGS="$OBJCXXFLAGS${OBJCXXFLAGS:+ }-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -static -lpthread -DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -DFFI_STATIC_BUILD -lm"
+export LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS${LDFLAGS:+ }-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++ -static -lpthread -DMINGW_HAS_SECURE_API -DFFI_STATIC_BUILD -lm"
 export LIBS="-lpthread -lm -lole32"
 
 export UUID_LIBS="-luuid_mingw -luuid"
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ OUUID_LIBS="\$UUID_LIBS"
 OSTRIP="\$STRIP"
 OPATH="\$PATH"
 
+OCONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS="\$CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS"
+OCMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS="\$CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS"
+
 $BUILD_ENV
 
 export CC="$HOST_CC"
@@ -115,11 +118,11 @@ export UUID_LIBS="$HOST_UUID_LIBS"
 export STRIP="$HOST_STRIP"
 export PATH="$BUILD_ROOT/host/bin:\$PATH"
 
-OCONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS="\$CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS"
-OCMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS="\$CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS"
-
 CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS="\$(puts "\$CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS" | sed 's/--host[^ ]*//g')"
 CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS="\$(puts "\$CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS" | sed 's/-DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[^ ]*//g')"
+
+unset TARGET_ENV
+export HOST_ENV=1
 EOF
     fi
 
@@ -164,6 +167,8 @@ CONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS="\$OCONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS"
 CMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS="\$OCMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS"
 OCONFIGURE_REQUIRED_ARGS= OCMAKE_REQUIRED_ARGS=
 
+unset HOST_ENV
+export TARGET_ENV=1
 $BUILD_ENV
 EOF
     fi