diff --git a/buildtools/meson.build b/buildtools/meson.build
index c520896b4b..0f24b15297 100644
--- a/buildtools/meson.build
+++ b/buildtools/meson.build
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 # Copyright(c) 2017-2019 Intel Corporation
 
 pkgconf = find_program('pkg-config', 'pkgconf', required: false)
-list_dir_globs = find_program('list-dir-globs.py')
 check_symbols = find_program('check-symbols.sh')
 ldflags_ibverbs_static = find_program('options-ibverbs-static.sh')
 binutils_avx512_check = find_program('binutils-avx512-check.sh')
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ if python3.found()
 else
     py3 = ['meson', 'runpython']
 endif
+list_dir_globs = py3 + files('list-dir-globs.py')
 map_to_win_cmd = py3 + files('map_to_win.py')
 sphinx_wrapper = py3 + files('call-sphinx-build.py')
 
diff --git a/drivers/meson.build b/drivers/meson.build
index b78cac3897..0052247a55 100644
--- a/drivers/meson.build
+++ b/drivers/meson.build
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@ endif
 
 # add cmdline disabled drivers and meson disabled drivers together
 disable_drivers += ',' + get_option('disable_drivers')
-disable_drivers = run_command(list_dir_globs, disable_drivers).stdout().split()
+disable_drivers = run_command(list_dir_globs, disable_drivers, check: true).stdout().split()
 
 # add cmdline enabled drivers and meson enabled drivers together
 enable_drivers = ',' + get_option('enable_drivers')
-enable_drivers = run_command(list_dir_globs, enable_drivers).stdout().split()
+enable_drivers = run_command(list_dir_globs, enable_drivers, check: true).stdout().split()
 if enable_drivers.length() == 0
-    enable_drivers = run_command(list_dir_globs, '*/*').stdout().split()
+    enable_drivers = run_command(list_dir_globs, '*/*', check: true).stdout().split()
 endif
 
 # these drivers must always be enabled, otherwise the build breaks
diff --git a/lib/meson.build b/lib/meson.build
index 77f363a516..a4fb0dbdd4 100644
--- a/lib/meson.build
+++ b/lib/meson.build
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ optional_libs = [
 ]
 
 disabled_libs = []
-opt_disabled_libs = run_command(list_dir_globs, get_option('disable_libs')).stdout().split()
+opt_disabled_libs = run_command(list_dir_globs, get_option('disable_libs'),
+        check: true).stdout().split()
 foreach l:opt_disabled_libs
     if not optional_libs.contains(l)
         warning('Cannot disable mandatory library "@0@"'.format(l))