diff --git a/include/meson.build b/include/meson.build
index 95e2aa1422..297835ce6c 100644
--- a/include/meson.build
+++ b/include/meson.build
@@ -8,9 +8,6 @@ release = 1 * 10000000 + major * 100000 + minor * 1000 + patch
 
 dri_dep = dependency('dri', required: build_glx)
 
-conf_data = configuration_data()
-conf_data.set('_DIX_CONFIG_H_', '1')
-
 # For feature macros we're using either false (boolean) or '1', which correspond to the macro being
 # not defined at all and defined to 1. This is to match autotools behavior and thus preserve
 # backwards  compatibility with all the existing code that uses #ifdef to check if feature is
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 66b3375f8e..c34bb003c5 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ add_project_arguments('-fno-common', language: 'c')
 
 add_project_link_arguments('-fvisibility=hidden', language : 'c')
 
+# global config data -- needs to be declared early
+conf_data = configuration_data()
+conf_data.set('_DIX_CONFIG_H_', '1')
+
 if cc.get_id() == 'gcc' or cc.get_id() == 'clang'
     test_wflags = [
         '-Wall',