diff --git a/man/meson.build b/man/meson.build
index cfd3cad7d..97bcec52b 100644
--- a/man/meson.build
+++ b/man/meson.build
@@ -8,33 +8,32 @@ manpage_conf.set('top_srcdir', meson.source_root())
 manpage_conf.set('top_builddir', meson.build_root())
 
 manpages = [
-  [ 'pipewire', '1' ],
-  [ 'pipewire.conf', '5' ],
-  [ 'pw-cat', '1' ],
-  [ 'pw-cli', '1' ],
-  [ 'pw-dot', '1' ],
-  [ 'pw-profiler', '1' ],
-  [ 'pw-metadata', '1' ],
-  [ 'pw-mididump', '1' ],
-  [ 'pw-mon', '1' ]
+  'pipewire.1.xml.in',
+  'pipewire.conf.5.xml.in',
+  'pw-cat.1.xml.in',
+  'pw-cli.1.xml.in',
+  'pw-dot.1.xml.in',
+  'pw-metadata.1.xml.in',
+  'pw-mididump.1.xml.in',
+  'pw-mon.1.xml.in',
+  'pw-profiler.1.xml.in',
 ]
 
 if not get_option('pipewire-jack').disabled()
-  manpages += [[ 'pw-jack', '1' ]]
+  manpages += 'pw-jack.1.xml.in'
 endif
 
 foreach m : manpages
-  file = m.get(0) + '.' + m.get(1)
-  infile = file + '.xml.in'
-  outfile = file + '.xml'
-  xml = configure_file(input : infile,
-		       output : outfile,
+  file = m.split('.xml.in').get(0)
+  xml = configure_file(input : m,
+		       output : file + '.xml',
 		       configuration : manpage_conf)
+  section = file.split('.').get(-1)
   custom_target(file + '.target',
 		output : file,
 		input : xml,
 		command : [xmltoman, '@INPUT@'],
 		capture : true,
 		install : true,
-		install_dir : get_option('mandir') / 'man' + m.get(1))
+		install_dir : get_option('mandir') / 'man' + section)
 endforeach