diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index bbcc5adcc..292193386 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@
 git submodule init
 git submodule update
 
+if [ -z $MESON ]; then
+	MESON=`which meson`
+fi
+if [ -z $MESON ]; then
+	echo "error: Meson not found."
+	echo "Install meson to configure and build Pipewire. If meson" \
+	     "is already installed, set the environment variable MESON" \
+	     "to the binary's path."
+	exit 1;
+fi
+
 mkdir -p build
-meson setup "$@" build  # use 'autogen.sh --reconfigure' to update
+$MESON setup "$@" build # use 'autogen.sh --reconfigure' to update
 ln -sf build/Makefile Makefile