diff --git a/drivers/net/pcap/meson.build b/drivers/net/pcap/meson.build
index f88afd946b..8b81214e50 100644
--- a/drivers/net/pcap/meson.build
+++ b/drivers/net/pcap/meson.build
@@ -1,13 +1,22 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # Copyright(c) 2017 Intel Corporation
 
-pcap_dep = dependency('pcap', required: false)
-if pcap_dep.found() == true
-	ext_deps += pcap_dep
-elif find_program('pcap-config', required: false).found() == true
-	ext_deps += cc.find_library('pcap')
+if meson.is_cross_build()
+	pcap_dep = cc.find_library('pcap', required: false)
+	if pcap_dep.found()
+		ext_deps += pcap_dep
+	else
+		build = false
+	endif
 else
-	build = false
+	pcap_dep = dependency('pcap', required: false)
+	if pcap_dep.found() == true
+		ext_deps += pcap_dep
+	elif find_program('pcap-config', required: false).found() == true
+		ext_deps += cc.find_library('pcap')
+	else
+		build = false
+	endif
 endif
 sources = files('rte_eth_pcap.c')
 pkgconfig_extra_libs += '-lpcap'