diff --git a/subprojects/gst-editing-services/docs/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-editing-services/docs/meson.build
index 50839ec924..989ae92f4a 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-editing-services/docs/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-editing-services/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 build_hotdoc = false
 
-if get_option('doc').disabled()
-  subdir_done()
-endif
-
 if meson.is_cross_build()
     if get_option('doc').enabled()
         error('Documentation enabled but building the doc while cross building is not supported yet.')
@@ -31,7 +27,6 @@ if not build_gir
     subdir_done()
 endif
 
-required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gi-extension', 'gst-extension']
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'internal'
     gst_proj = subproject('gstreamer')
     plugins_cache_generator = gst_proj.get_variable('plugins_cache_generator')
@@ -52,6 +47,9 @@ else
     warning('GStreamer plugin inspector for documentation not found, can\'t update the cache')
 endif
 
+if get_option('doc').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
 hotdoc_p = find_program('hotdoc', required: get_option('doc'))
 if not hotdoc_p.found()
     message('Hotdoc not found, not building the documentation')
@@ -70,6 +68,7 @@ if not hotdoc_version.version_compare(hotdoc_req)
 endif
 
 hotdoc = import('hotdoc')
+required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gi-extension', 'gst-extension']
 foreach extension: required_hotdoc_extensions
     if not hotdoc.has_extensions(extension)
         if get_option('doc').enabled()
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-libav/docs/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-libav/docs/meson.build
index bb744a6ee5..3f2539b7b8 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-libav/docs/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-libav/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 build_hotdoc = false
 
-if get_option('doc').disabled()
-  subdir_done()
-endif
-
 if meson.is_cross_build()
     if get_option('doc').enabled()
         error('Documentation enabled but building the doc while cross building is not supported yet.')
@@ -22,7 +18,6 @@ if static_build
     subdir_done()
 endif
 
-required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gst-extension']
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'internal'
     gst_proj = subproject('gstreamer')
     plugins_cache_generator = gst_proj.get_variable('plugins_cache_generator')
@@ -43,6 +38,11 @@ else
     warning('GStreamer plugin inspector for documentation not found, can\'t update the cache')
 endif
 
+if get_option('doc').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+
 hotdoc_p = find_program('hotdoc', required: get_option('doc'))
 if not hotdoc_p.found()
     message('Hotdoc not found, not building the documentation')
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ hotdoc = import('hotdoc')
 docconf = configuration_data()
 docconf.set('GST_API_VERSION', api_version)
 
+required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gst-extension']
 foreach extension: required_hotdoc_extensions
     if not hotdoc.has_extensions(extension)
         if get_option('doc').enabled()
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/docs/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/docs/meson.build
index ba33b97f64..2face66b05 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/docs/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 build_hotdoc = false
 
-if get_option('doc').disabled()
-  subdir_done()
-endif
-
 if meson.is_cross_build()
     if get_option('doc').enabled()
         error('Documentation enabled but building the doc while cross building is not supported yet.')
@@ -30,7 +26,6 @@ if not build_gir
     message('Introspection not built, won\'t build documentation requiring it')
 endif
 
-required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gi-extension', 'c-extension', 'gst-extension']
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'internal'
     gst_proj = subproject('gstreamer')
     plugins_cache_generator = gst_proj.get_variable('plugins_cache_generator')
@@ -54,6 +49,11 @@ else
     warning('GStreamer plugin inspector for documentation not found, can\'t update the cache')
 endif
 
+if get_option('doc').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+
 hotdoc_p = find_program('hotdoc', required: get_option('doc'))
 if not hotdoc_p.found()
     message('Hotdoc not found, not building the documentation')
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ if not hotdoc_version.version_compare(hotdoc_req)
 endif
 
 hotdoc = import('hotdoc')
+required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gi-extension', 'c-extension', 'gst-extension']
 foreach extension: required_hotdoc_extensions
     if not hotdoc.has_extensions(extension)
         if get_option('doc').enabled()
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/docs/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/docs/meson.build
index 3a24caf4ea..5a7b1bc402 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/docs/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 build_hotdoc = false
 
-if get_option('doc').disabled()
-  subdir_done()
-endif
-
 if meson.is_cross_build()
     if get_option('doc').enabled()
         error('Documentation enabled but building the doc while cross building is not supported yet.')
@@ -32,7 +28,6 @@ if not build_gir
 endif
 
 
-required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gi-extension', 'gst-extension']
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'internal'
     gst_proj = subproject('gstreamer')
     plugins_cache_generator = gst_proj.get_variable('plugins_cache_generator')
@@ -56,6 +51,10 @@ else
     warning('GStreamer plugin inspector for documentation not found, can\'t update the cache')
 endif
 
+if get_option('doc').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 hotdoc_p = find_program('hotdoc', required: get_option('doc'))
 if not hotdoc_p.found()
     message('Hotdoc not found, not building the documentation')
@@ -74,6 +73,7 @@ if not hotdoc_version.version_compare(hotdoc_req)
 endif
 
 hotdoc = import('hotdoc')
+required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gi-extension', 'gst-extension']
 foreach extension: required_hotdoc_extensions
     if not hotdoc.has_extensions(extension)
         if get_option('doc').enabled()
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/docs/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/docs/meson.build
index 67c58af4fe..04bacca68a 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/docs/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 build_hotdoc = false
 
-if get_option('doc').disabled()
-  subdir_done()
-endif
-
 if static_build
     if get_option('doc').enabled()
         error('Documentation enabled but not supported when building statically.')
@@ -22,7 +18,6 @@ if meson.is_cross_build()
     subdir_done()
 endif
 
-required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gst-extension']
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'internal'
     gst_proj = subproject('gstreamer')
     plugins_cache_generator = gst_proj.get_variable('plugins_cache_generator')
@@ -45,6 +40,10 @@ else
     warning('GStreamer plugin inspector for documentation not found, can\'t update the cache')
 endif
 
+if get_option('doc').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 hotdoc_p = find_program('hotdoc', required: get_option('doc'))
 if not hotdoc_p.found()
     message('Hotdoc not found, not building the documentation')
@@ -63,6 +62,7 @@ if not hotdoc_version.version_compare(hotdoc_req)
 endif
 
 hotdoc = import('hotdoc')
+required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gst-extension']
 foreach extension: required_hotdoc_extensions
     if not hotdoc.has_extensions(extension)
         if get_option('doc').enabled()
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-ugly/docs/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-ugly/docs/meson.build
index 1d726ea81d..e4a28d629c 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-ugly/docs/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-ugly/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 build_hotdoc = false
 
-if get_option('doc').disabled()
-  subdir_done()
-endif
-
 if meson.is_cross_build()
     if get_option('doc').enabled()
         error('Documentation enabled but building the doc while cross building is not supported yet.')
@@ -22,7 +18,6 @@ if static_build
     subdir_done()
 endif
 
-required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gst-extension']
 plugins_cache = join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'gst_plugins_cache.json')
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'internal'
     gst_proj = subproject('gstreamer')
@@ -45,6 +40,10 @@ else
     warning('GStreamer plugin inspector for documentation not found, can\'t update the cache')
 endif
 
+if get_option('doc').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 hotdoc_p = find_program('hotdoc', required: get_option('doc'))
 if not hotdoc_p.found()
     message('Hotdoc not found, not building the documentation')
@@ -63,6 +62,7 @@ if not hotdoc_version.version_compare(hotdoc_req)
 endif
 
 hotdoc = import('hotdoc')
+required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gst-extension']
 foreach extension: required_hotdoc_extensions
     if not hotdoc.has_extensions(extension)
         if get_option('doc').enabled()
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/docs/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/docs/meson.build
index d3fc8918e3..e5eaf563a6 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/docs/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 build_hotdoc = false
 
-if get_option('doc').disabled()
-  subdir_done()
-endif
-
 if meson.is_cross_build()
     if get_option('doc').enabled()
         error('Documentation enabled but building the doc while cross building is not supported yet.')
@@ -31,12 +27,10 @@ if not build_gir
     subdir_done()
 endif
 
-required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gi-extension', 'gst-extension']
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'internal'
     gst_proj = subproject('gstreamer')
     plugins_cache_generator = gst_proj.get_variable('plugins_cache_generator')
 else
-    required_hotdoc_extensions += ['gst-extension']
     plugins_cache_generator = find_program(join_paths(gst_dep.get_variable('libexecdir'), 'gstreamer-' + api_version, 'gst-plugins-doc-cache-generator'),
         required: false)
 endif
@@ -54,6 +48,10 @@ else
     warning('GStreamer plugin inspector for documentation not found, can\'t update the cache')
 endif
 
+if get_option('doc').disabled()
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 hotdoc_p = find_program('hotdoc', required: get_option('doc'))
 if not hotdoc_p.found()
     message('Hotdoc not found, not building the documentation')
@@ -72,6 +70,7 @@ if not hotdoc_version.version_compare(hotdoc_req)
 endif
 
 hotdoc = import('hotdoc')
+required_hotdoc_extensions = ['gi-extension', 'gst-extension']
 foreach extension: required_hotdoc_extensions
     if not hotdoc.has_extensions(extension)
         if get_option('doc').enabled()