diff --git a/spa/meson.build b/spa/meson.build
index 170503e0e..6c207e89f 100644
--- a/spa/meson.build
+++ b/spa/meson.build
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ if not get_option('spa-plugins').disabled()
   avcodec_dep = dependency('libavcodec', required: get_option('ffmpeg'))
   avformat_dep = dependency('libavformat', required: get_option('ffmpeg'))
   jack_dep = dependency('jack', version : '>= 1.9.10', required: get_option('jack'))
-  vulkan_dep = dependency('vulkan', version : '>= 1.1.69', required: get_option('vulkan'))
+  vulkan_dep = dependency('vulkan', disabler : true, version : '>= 1.1.69', required: get_option('vulkan'))
+  vulkan_headers = cc.has_header('vulkan/vulkan.h', dependencies : vulkan_dep)
   libcamera_dep = dependency('camera', required: get_option('libcamera'))
 
   subdir('plugins')
diff --git a/spa/plugins/meson.build b/spa/plugins/meson.build
index 1651e5532..9bdcedc96 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/meson.build
+++ b/spa/plugins/meson.build
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ endif
 if not get_option('volume').disabled()
   subdir('volume')
 endif
-if vulkan_dep.found()
+if vulkan_headers
   subdir('vulkan')
 endif
 if libudev_dep.found() and not get_option('v4l2').disabled()