diff --git a/tests/project/muon/wayland/meson.build b/tests/project/muon/wayland/meson.build
index 0d03a3cb..35e93dca 100644
--- a/tests/project/muon/wayland/meson.build
+++ b/tests/project/muon/wayland/meson.build
@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ wl = import('wayland')
 
 wl_dep = dependency('wayland-client', required: false)
 wl_scanner = dependency('wayland-scanner', required: false, native: true)
-if wl_dep.found() and wl_scanner.found()
-    xml = wl.find_protocol('xdg-shell', state: 'stable')
-    gen = wl.scan_xml(xml)
 
-    executable('wayland_demo', gen + ['wayland_demo.c'], dependencies: wl_dep)
+if not (wl_dep.found() and wl_scanner.found())
+    error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: wayland dependencies not found')
 endif
+
+xml = wl.find_protocol('xdg-shell', state: 'stable')
+gen = wl.scan_xml(xml)
+
+executable('wayland_demo', gen + ['wayland_demo.c'], dependencies: wl_dep)