diff --git a/guix/build-system/meson.scm b/guix/build-system/meson.scm
index 13baf329df..eb2714dd78 100644
--- a/guix/build-system/meson.scm
+++ b/guix/build-system/meson.scm
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ (define* (meson-build name inputs
                       (outputs '("out"))
                       (configure-flags ''())
                       (search-paths '())
+                      (out-of-source? #t)
                       (build-type "debugoptimized")
                       (tests? #t)
                       (test-options ''())
@@ -237,6 +238,7 @@ (define build-phases
                              #$(if (pair? configure-flags)
                                    (sexp->gexp configure-flags)
                                    configure-flags)
+                             #:out-of-source? #$out-of-source?
                              #:build-type #$build-type
                              #:tests? #$tests?
                              #:test-options #$(if (pair? test-options)
@@ -271,7 +273,7 @@ (define* (meson-cross-build name
                             (configure-flags ''())
                             (search-paths '())
                             (native-search-paths '())
-
+                            (out-of-source? #t)
                             (build-type "debugoptimized")
                             (tests? #f)
                             (test-options ''())
@@ -352,6 +354,7 @@ (define build-phases
                                            ,@#$(if (pair? configure-flags)
                                                    (sexp->gexp configure-flags)
                                                    configure-flags))
+                       #:out-of-source? #$out-of-source?
                        #:build-type #$build-type
                        #:tests? #$tests?
                        #:test-options #$(if (pair? test-options)