diff --git a/common/meson.build b/common/meson.build
index 3af1f1d56..9f9fcc37d 100644
--- a/common/meson.build
+++ b/common/meson.build
@@ -20,3 +20,12 @@ lib_sway_common = static_library(
 	],
 	include_directories: sway_inc
 )
+
+lib_sway_ipc_client = static_library(
+	'sway-ipc-client',
+	files(
+		'ipc-client.c',
+	),
+	dependencies: [],
+	include_directories: sway_inc
+)
diff --git a/swaymsg/meson.build b/swaymsg/meson.build
index b78e6cb03..2fd091dba 100644
--- a/swaymsg/meson.build
+++ b/swaymsg/meson.build
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ executable(
 	'swaymsg',
 	'main.c',
 	include_directories: [sway_inc],
-	dependencies: [jsonc, wlroots],
-	link_with: [lib_sway_common],
+	dependencies: [jsonc],
+	link_with: [lib_sway_ipc_client],
 	install: true
 )