diff --git a/libvirt.spec.in b/libvirt.spec.in
index c4a7c30737..aa2bc84be9 100644
--- a/libvirt.spec.in
+++ b/libvirt.spec.in
@@ -1167,7 +1167,6 @@ export SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH=$(stat --printf='%Y' %{_specdir}/%{name}.spec)
            -Dyajl=enabled \
            %{?arg_sanlock} \
            -Dlibpcap=enabled \
-           -Dmacvtap=enabled \
            -Daudit=enabled \
            -Ddtrace=enabled \
            %{?arg_firewalld} \
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 512269e83d..08aa827ca2 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1159,16 +1159,6 @@ libxml_dep = dependency('libxml-2.0', version: '>=' + libxml_version)
 cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
 m_dep = cc.find_library('m', required : false)
 
-if host_machine.system() == 'linux'
-  if not get_option('macvtap').disabled()
-    conf.set('WITH_MACVTAP', 1)
-  endif
-else
-  if get_option('macvtap').enabled()
-    error('macvtap is not supported on this platform.')
-  endif
-endif
-
 netcf_version = '0.1.8'
 netcf_dep = dependency('netcf', version: '>=' + netcf_version, required: get_option('netcf'))
 if netcf_dep.found()
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index ddd90916c8..359fcf0a0b 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ option('libiscsi', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'libiscsi suppor
 option('libpcap', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'libpcap support')
 option('libssh', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'libssh support')
 option('libssh2', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'libssh2 support')
-option('macvtap', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'enable macvtap device')
 option('netcf', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'netcf support')
 option('nls', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'nls support')
 option('numactl', type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'numactl support')
diff --git a/src/util/virnetdevmacvlan.c b/src/util/virnetdevmacvlan.c
index c4c6eeaffc..34bc0b90bd 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdevmacvlan.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdevmacvlan.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ VIR_ENUM_IMPL(virNetDevMacVLanMode,
               "passthrough",
 );
 
-#if WITH_MACVTAP
+#if defined(WITH_LIBNL)
 # include <fcntl.h>
 
 # include <net/if.h>
@@ -1043,7 +1043,7 @@ int virNetDevMacVLanRestartWithVPortProfile(const char *cr_ifname,
 
 }
 
-#else /* ! WITH_MACVTAP */
+#else /* ! WITH_LIBNL */
 bool virNetDevMacVLanIsMacvtap(const char *ifname G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 {
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS, "%s",
@@ -1149,4 +1149,4 @@ void virNetDevMacVLanReserveName(const char *name G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS, "%s",
                          _("Cannot create macvlan devices on this platform"));
 }
-#endif /* ! WITH_MACVTAP */
+#endif /* ! WITH_LIBNL */