diff --git a/cut-n-paste/meson.build b/cut-n-paste/meson.build
index 0f79ebb8..5fd89d2e 100644
--- a/cut-n-paste/meson.build
+++ b/cut-n-paste/meson.build
@@ -2,6 +2,3 @@ subdir('zoom-control')
 subdir('totem-screensaver')
 subdir('smclient')
 subdir('synctex')
-
-cnc_includes = include_directories('zoom-control', 'totem-screensaver', 'smclient')
-synctex_includes = include_directories('synctex')
diff --git a/cut-n-paste/smclient/meson.build b/cut-n-paste/smclient/meson.build
index ca129a3d..5c9eea93 100644
--- a/cut-n-paste/smclient/meson.build
+++ b/cut-n-paste/smclient/meson.build
@@ -22,3 +22,9 @@ libsmclient = static_library(
     dependencies: smclient_deps,
     include_directories: include_dirs,
 )
+
+libsmclient_dep = declare_dependency(
+    link_with: libsmclient,
+    dependencies: smclient_deps,
+    include_directories: [include_root, include_directories('.')],
+)
diff --git a/cut-n-paste/synctex/meson.build b/cut-n-paste/synctex/meson.build
index 0f063adb..305c4f56 100644
--- a/cut-n-paste/synctex/meson.build
+++ b/cut-n-paste/synctex/meson.build
@@ -14,3 +14,9 @@ libsynctex = static_library(
     synctex_sources,
     dependencies: synctex_deps,
 )
+
+libsynctex_dep = declare_dependency(
+    link_with: libsynctex,
+    dependencies: synctex_deps,
+    include_directories: include_directories('.'),
+)
diff --git a/cut-n-paste/totem-screensaver/meson.build b/cut-n-paste/totem-screensaver/meson.build
index faac9b7c..a67c2f96 100644
--- a/cut-n-paste/totem-screensaver/meson.build
+++ b/cut-n-paste/totem-screensaver/meson.build
@@ -15,3 +15,9 @@ libtotemscrsaver = static_library(
     dependencies: totem_screensaver_deps,
     include_directories: include_root,
 )
+
+libtotemscrsaver_dep = declare_dependency(
+    link_with: libtotemscrsaver,
+    dependencies: totem_screensaver_deps,
+    include_directories: [include_root, include_directories('.')],
+)
diff --git a/cut-n-paste/zoom-control/meson.build b/cut-n-paste/zoom-control/meson.build
index f48567fc..2c3320ac 100644
--- a/cut-n-paste/zoom-control/meson.build
+++ b/cut-n-paste/zoom-control/meson.build
@@ -20,3 +20,9 @@ libephyzoom = static_library(
     include_directories: include_root,
     dependencies: zoom_deps,
 )
+
+libephyzoom_dep = declare_dependency(
+    link_with: libephyzoom,
+    include_directories: [include_root, include_directories('.')],
+    dependencies: zoom_deps,
+)
diff --git a/libdocument/meson.build b/libdocument/meson.build
index 6c0d6e34..5965a582 100644
--- a/libdocument/meson.build
+++ b/libdocument/meson.build
@@ -121,14 +121,14 @@ libdocument_deps = [
     gmodule,
     gtk,
     math,
+    libsynctex_dep,
 ]
 
 libdocument = library(
     'xreaderdocument',
     libdocument_private_headers + libdocument_sources,
     dependencies: libdocument_deps,
-    include_directories: [include_root, synctex_includes],
-    link_whole: [libsynctex],
+    include_directories: include_root,
     soversion: binary_major_version,
     version: binary_version,
     install: true,
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ libdocument = library(
 # this is needed so targets that depend on generated headers can do so
 libdocument_dep = declare_dependency(
     link_with: libdocument,
+    dependencies: libdocument_deps,
+    include_directories: include_root,
     sources: libdoc_enums[1]
 )
 
diff --git a/libmisc/meson.build b/libmisc/meson.build
index 280d3b03..e0140736 100644
--- a/libmisc/meson.build
+++ b/libmisc/meson.build
@@ -20,3 +20,9 @@ libmisc = static_library(
     include_directories: include_dirs,
     dependencies: libmisc_deps,
 )
+
+libmisc_dep = declare_dependency(
+    link_with: libmisc,
+    include_directories: include_dirs,
+    dependencies: libmisc_deps,
+)
diff --git a/libview/meson.build b/libview/meson.build
index b1c18504..77c7f023 100644
--- a/libview/meson.build
+++ b/libview/meson.build
@@ -90,6 +90,12 @@ libview = library(
     install: true,
 )
 
+libview_dep = declare_dependency(
+    link_with: libview,
+    include_directories: include_dirs,
+    dependencies: libview_deps,
+)
+
 install_headers(
     libview_headers,
     subdir: libview_header_dir,
diff --git a/shell/meson.build b/shell/meson.build
index cff438b3..4060ceec 100644
--- a/shell/meson.build
+++ b/shell/meson.build
@@ -132,21 +132,31 @@ if get_option('enable_dbus')
     )
 endif
 
+libshell_deps = [
+    xreader_deps,
+    libview_dep,
+    libmisc_dep,
+    libtotemscrsaver_dep,
+    libsmclient_dep,
+    libephyzoom_dep,
+]
+
 libshell = static_library(
     'shell',
     shell_sources,
-    link_with: libview,
-    link_whole: [libmisc, libtotemscrsaver, libsmclient, libephyzoom],
-    dependencies: xreader_deps,
-    include_directories: [include_dirs, cnc_includes],
+    dependencies: libshell_deps,
+    include_directories: include_dirs,
+)
+
+libshell_dep = declare_dependency(
+  link_whole: libshell,  # Need the whole lib for gresource lookup
+  dependencies: libshell_deps,
+  include_directories: include_dirs,
 )
 
 xreader = executable(
     'xreader',
     'main.c',
-    link_with: libview,
-    link_whole: libshell,
-    dependencies: xreader_deps,
-    include_directories: [include_dirs, cnc_includes],
+    dependencies: libshell_dep,
     install: true,
 )