diff --git a/tests/elements/meson.build b/tests/elements/meson.build
index 9fb57f679c..f64d1cda2c 100644
--- a/tests/elements/meson.build
+++ b/tests/elements/meson.build
@@ -12,13 +12,15 @@ foreach example : examples
     install: false)
 endforeach
 
-executable('test-vaapicontext', 'test-vaapicontext.c',
-  c_args : gstreamer_vaapi_args,
-  include_directories: [configinc, libsinc],
-  dependencies : [ gst_dep,
-                   gstvideo_dep,
-                   libva_dep,
-                   x11_dep,
-                   gtk_dep,
-                   libva_x11_dep ],
-  install: false)
+if gtk_dep.found()
+  executable('test-vaapicontext', 'test-vaapicontext.c',
+    c_args : gstreamer_vaapi_args,
+    include_directories: [configinc, libsinc],
+    dependencies : [ gst_dep,
+                     gstvideo_dep,
+                     libva_dep,
+                     x11_dep,
+                     gtk_dep,
+                     libva_x11_dep ],
+    install: false)
+endif