diff --git a/src/daemon/systemd/system/meson.build b/src/daemon/systemd/system/meson.build
index 02efc7a41..40aa7b324 100644
--- a/src/daemon/systemd/system/meson.build
+++ b/src/daemon/systemd/system/meson.build
@@ -1,13 +1,22 @@
-systemd = dependency('systemd', required : get_option('systemd-system-service'))
-if not systemd.found()
+systemd_system_services_dir = ''
+
+systemd = dependency('systemd', required : false)
+if systemd.found()
+  systemd_system_services_dir = systemd.get_variable('systemdsystemunitdir', pkgconfig_define : [ 'rootprefix', prefix])
+endif
+
+if get_option('systemd-system-service').disabled() or (get_option('systemd-system-service').auto() and not systemd.found())
   subdir_done()
 endif
 
-systemd_system_services_dir = systemd.get_variable('systemdsystemunitdir', pkgconfig_define : [ 'rootprefix', prefix])
 if get_option('systemd-system-unit-dir') != ''
   systemd_system_services_dir = get_option('systemd-system-unit-dir')
 endif
 
+if systemd_system_services_dir == ''
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 install_data(sources : ['pipewire.socket', 'pipewire-manager.socket', 'pipewire-pulse.socket' ],
              install_dir : systemd_system_services_dir)
 
diff --git a/src/daemon/systemd/user/meson.build b/src/daemon/systemd/user/meson.build
index 1b65d5f7a..733651402 100644
--- a/src/daemon/systemd/user/meson.build
+++ b/src/daemon/systemd/user/meson.build
@@ -1,13 +1,22 @@
-systemd = dependency('systemd', required : get_option('systemd-user-service'))
-if not systemd.found()
+systemd_user_services_dir = ''
+
+systemd = dependency('systemd', required : false)
+if systemd.found()
+  systemd_user_services_dir = systemd.get_variable('systemduserunitdir', pkgconfig_define : [ 'prefix', prefix])
+endif
+
+if get_option('systemd-user-service').disabled() or (get_option('systemd-user-service').auto() and not systemd.found())
   subdir_done()
 endif
 
-systemd_user_services_dir = systemd.get_variable('systemduserunitdir', pkgconfig_define : [ 'prefix', prefix])
 if get_option('systemd-user-unit-dir') != ''
   systemd_user_services_dir = get_option('systemd-user-unit-dir')
 endif
 
+if systemd_user_services_dir == ''
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 install_data(
   sources : ['pipewire.socket', 'pipewire-pulse.socket'],
   install_dir : systemd_user_services_dir)