diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/meson.build b/gst-libs/gst/gl/meson.build
index be0c4ef172..8a5a83fd17 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/meson.build
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/meson.build
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 if get_option('gl').disabled()
   message('GStreamer OpenGL integration disabled via options.')
-  gstgl_dep = disabler()
+  gstgl_dep = dependency('', required: false)
   build_gstgl = false
   subdir_done()
 endif
diff --git a/tests/examples/meson.build b/tests/examples/meson.build
index 6d97a5c441..fe701511d3 100644
--- a/tests/examples/meson.build
+++ b/tests/examples/meson.build
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ subdir('decodebin_next')
 subdir('encoding')
 subdir('fft')
 subdir('gio')
-subdir('gl')
+if build_gstgl
+  subdir('gl')
+endif
 subdir('overlay')
 subdir('playback')
 subdir('playrec')