diff --git a/buildtools/chkincs/meson.build b/buildtools/chkincs/meson.build
index 790f700619..9bb19c9ba3 100644
--- a/buildtools/chkincs/meson.build
+++ b/buildtools/chkincs/meson.build
@@ -13,11 +13,15 @@ gen_c_files = generator(gen_c_file_for_header,
 
 cflags = machine_args
 cflags += '-DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API'
+cflags += '-DALLOW_INTERNAL_API'
 
 sources = files('main.c')
 sources += gen_c_files.process(dpdk_chkinc_headers)
 
-deps = []
+# some driver SDK headers depend on these two buses, which are mandatory in build
+# so we always include them in deps list
+deps = [get_variable('shared_rte_bus_vdev'), get_variable('shared_rte_bus_pci')]
+# add the rest of the libs to the dependencies
 foreach l:enabled_libs
     deps += get_variable('shared_rte_' + l)
 endforeach
diff --git a/lib/meson.build b/lib/meson.build
index 8e5acd7819..24adbe44c9 100644
--- a/lib/meson.build
+++ b/lib/meson.build
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ foreach l:libraries
         install_headers(driver_sdk_headers)
     endif
     dpdk_chkinc_headers += headers
+    dpdk_chkinc_headers += driver_sdk_headers
 
     libname = 'rte_' + name
     includes += include_directories(l)