diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 66dec30328..02af00aa31 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -55,10 +55,7 @@ os.symlink(os.path.join('@1@', 'subprojects', '@0@'),
   os.path.join('@1@', '@0@'))
 '''
 
-# On Windows, if flex/bison aren't found, we use a subproject to get them
-flex = find_program('flex', 'win_flex', required : build_system != 'windows')
-bison = find_program('bison', 'win_bison', required : build_system != 'windows')
-if not flex.found() or not bison.found()
+if build_system == 'windows'
   subproject('win-flex-bison-binaries')
 endif
 
diff --git a/subprojects/win-flex-bison-binaries/meson.build b/subprojects/win-flex-bison-binaries/meson.build
index e56fea73c6..4179265c7f 100644
--- a/subprojects/win-flex-bison-binaries/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/win-flex-bison-binaries/meson.build
@@ -1,25 +1,16 @@
 project('win-flex-bison-binary', version : '2.5.14')
 
-provide_flex = not find_program('flex', required : false).found()
-provide_bison = not find_program('bison', required : false).found()
+py3 = import('python3').find_python()
 
-if provide_flex or provide_bison
-  py3 = import('python3').find_python()
+message('Downloading and extracting win-flex-bison binaries...')
 
-  message('Downloading and extracting win-flex-bison binaries...')
+zip_hash = '354c9aae02aca421c52abfda7fe3ce6c32ad07e25ff3f66e31da9437a0b906cf'
 
-  zip_hash = '354c9aae02aca421c52abfda7fe3ce6c32ad07e25ff3f66e31da9437a0b906cf'
-
-  ret = run_command(py3, files('download-binary.py'), meson.project_version(), zip_hash)
-  if ret.returncode() != 0
-    message(ret.stdout())
-    error(ret.stderr())
-  endif
-
-  if provide_flex
-    meson.override_find_program('flex', find_program('win_flex'))
-  endif
-  if provide_bison
-    meson.override_find_program('bison', find_program('win_bison'))
-  endif
+ret = run_command(py3, files('download-binary.py'), meson.project_version(), zip_hash)
+if ret.returncode() != 0
+  message(ret.stdout())
+  error(ret.stderr())
 endif
+
+meson.override_find_program('flex', find_program('win_flex'))
+meson.override_find_program('bison', find_program('win_bison'))