diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 7c714ddf..cb5d4741 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ if cc.has_function('memfd_create')
   add_project_arguments('-DMEMFD_CREATE', language: 'c')
 endif
 
+# Missing on DragonFly, FreeBSD < 14.1
+if cc.has_function('execvpe')
+  add_project_arguments('-DEXECVPE', language: 'c')
+endif
+
 utmp_backend = get_option('utmp-backend')
 if utmp_backend == 'auto'
   host_os = host_machine.system()
diff --git a/slave.c b/slave.c
index bcd864e1..2187eef3 100644
--- a/slave.c
+++ b/slave.c
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ struct environ {
     char **envp;
 };
 
-#if defined(__FreeBSD__)
+#if !defined(EXECVPE)
 static char *
 find_file_in_path(const char *file)
 {
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ foot_execvpe(const char *file, char *const argv[], char *const envp[])
     return ret;
 }
 
-#else   /* !__FreeBSD__ */
+#else   /* EXECVPE */
 
 #define foot_execvpe(file, argv, envp) execvpe(file, argv, envp)
 
-#endif  /* !__FreeBSD__ */
+#endif  /* EXECVPE */
 
 static bool
 is_valid_shell(const char *shell)