diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 88e9d327c7..c8dc0ca738 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ OPENRC_INIT_FILES =
 OPENRC_INIT_FILES_IN =
 OPENRC_CONF_FILES =
 SYSCONF_FILES =
-bin_PROGRAMS =
 
 COMMON_UNIT_VARS = \
 	-e 's|[@]runstatedir[@]|$(runstatedir)|g' \
diff --git a/src/qemu/Makefile.inc.am b/src/qemu/Makefile.inc.am
index 129825121c..80555d79a4 100644
--- a/src/qemu/Makefile.inc.am
+++ b/src/qemu/Makefile.inc.am
@@ -101,17 +101,3 @@ endif WITH_QEMU
 	install-data-qemu \
 	uninstall-data-qemu \
 	$(NULL)
-
-QEMU_SHIM_SOURCES = qemu/qemu_shim.c
-
-if WITH_QEMU
-bin_PROGRAMS += virt-qemu-run
-
-virt_qemu_run_SOURCES = $(QEMU_SHIM_SOURCES)
-
-virt_qemu_run_LDADD = \
-	libvirt.la \
-	$(GLIB_LIBS) \
-	$(NULL)
-virt_qemu_run_LDFLAGS = -export-dynamic
-endif WITH_QEMU
diff --git a/src/qemu/meson.build b/src/qemu/meson.build
index 0ac9c045ca..e18274f0c0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/meson.build
+++ b/src/qemu/meson.build
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ if conf.has('WITH_DTRACE_PROBES')
   )
 endif
 
+qemu_shim_sources = files(
+  'qemu_shim.c',
+)
+
 if conf.has('WITH_QEMU')
   qemu_driver_impl = static_library(
     'virt_driver_qemu_impl',
@@ -117,4 +121,12 @@ if conf.has('WITH_QEMU')
       '-DMODULE_NAME="qemu"',
     ],
   }
+
+  virt_helpers += {
+    'name': 'virt-qemu-run',
+    'sources': [
+      qemu_shim_sources
+    ],
+    'install_dir': bindir,
+  }
 endif