diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index b2fbf56ef6..79974538b9 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -154,10 +154,7 @@ foreach sp : subprojects
   if match_gst_version
     subproj = subproject(project_name, version: gst_version, required: is_required, default_options: default_options)
   elif sysdep != ''
-      sysdep_dep = dependency(sysdep, version: sysdep_version, required: false, default_options: default_options)
-      if not sysdep_dep.found()
-        subproj = subproject(project_name, required: is_required, default_options: default_options)
-      endif
+    sysdep_dep = dependency(sysdep, version: sysdep_version, required: is_required, default_options: default_options)
   else
     subproj = subproject(project_name, required: is_required, default_options: default_options)
   endif
diff --git a/subprojects/pygobject.wrap b/subprojects/pygobject.wrap
index a8c297871c..f92601668b 100644
--- a/subprojects/pygobject.wrap
+++ b/subprojects/pygobject.wrap
@@ -3,3 +3,6 @@ directory = pygobject-3.42.2
 source_url = https://download.gnome.org/sources/pygobject/3.42/pygobject-3.42.2.tar.xz
 source_filename = pygobject-3.42.2.tar.xz
 source_hash = ade8695e2a7073849dd0316d31d8728e15e1e0bc71d9ff6d1c09e86be52bc957
+
+[provide]
+pygobject-3.0 = pygobject_dep