diff --git a/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson.build b/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson.build
index 495ba4b5d..4c3b0a542 100644
--- a/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson.build
+++ b/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson.build
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ endif
 common_sources += files(
   src_dir / 'bpf-filter.cc',
   src_dir / 'capabilities.cc',
-  src_dir / 'cdb.cc',
   src_dir / 'channel.cc',
   src_dir / 'coverage.cc',
   src_dir / 'credentials.cc',
diff --git a/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson/cdb/meson.build b/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson/cdb/meson.build
index b05ee9dfc..461677317 100644
--- a/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson/cdb/meson.build
+++ b/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson/cdb/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 dep_cdb = dependency('libcdb', required: false)
 
 if not dep_cdb.found()
-  if cxx.has_header('cdb.h', required: true)
+  if cxx.has_header('cdb.h', required: false)
     if cxx.has_function('cdb_find', args: ['-lcdb'])
       dep_cdb = declare_dependency(link_args: ['-lcdb'])
     endif
diff --git a/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson/libedit/meson.build b/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson/libedit/meson.build
index 64e24d5ee..55c2e2988 100644
--- a/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson/libedit/meson.build
+++ b/pdns/dnsdistdist/meson/libedit/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 opt_libedit = get_option('libedit')
-dep_libedit = dependency('libedit', required: opt_libedit)
+dep_libedit = dependency('libedit', required: false)
+
+if not dep_libedit.found()
+  dep_libedit = cxx.find_library('edit', required: opt_libedit)
+endif
 
 conf.set('HAVE_LIBEDIT', dep_libedit.found(), description: 'libedit support')
 summary('libedit support', dep_libedit.found(), bool_yn: true, section: 'Edit')