diff --git a/tests/unit/meson.build b/tests/unit/meson.build
index 90acf5b0da..64a5e7bfde 100644
--- a/tests/unit/meson.build
+++ b/tests/unit/meson.build
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ if have_system
     'test-vmstate': [migration, io],
     'test-yank': ['socket-helpers.c', qom, io, chardev]
   }
-  if 'CONFIG_INOTIFY1' in config_host
+  if config_host_data.get('CONFIG_INOTIFY1')
     tests += {'test-util-filemonitor': []}
   endif
 
diff --git a/util/meson.build b/util/meson.build
index e676b2f6c6..c9a9cc1cf5 100644
--- a/util/meson.build
+++ b/util/meson.build
@@ -84,7 +84,10 @@ if have_block
   util_ss.add(files('readline.c'))
   util_ss.add(files('throttle.c'))
   util_ss.add(files('timed-average.c'))
-  util_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_INOTIFY1', if_true: files('filemonitor-inotify.c'),
-                                        if_false: files('filemonitor-stub.c'))
+  if config_host_data.get('CONFIG_INOTIFY1')
+    util_ss.add(files('filemonitor-inotify.c'))
+  else
+    util_ss.add(files('filemonitor-stub.c'))
+  endif
   util_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_LINUX', if_true: files('vfio-helpers.c'))
 endif