diff --git a/extensions/goat-exercises/meson.build b/extensions/goat-exercises/meson.build
index 5169d56930..decbcdd41d 100644
--- a/extensions/goat-exercises/meson.build
+++ b/extensions/goat-exercises/meson.build
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ install_data(
 
 # Vala version
 
-if have_vala
+if have_vala and have_gobject_introspection
   exe = executable('goat-exercise-vala',
     'goat-exercise-vala.vala',
     include_directories: [ rootInclude, ],
diff --git a/libgimp/meson.build b/libgimp/meson.build
index a346e6f965..2126649c9b 100644
--- a/libgimp/meson.build
+++ b/libgimp/meson.build
@@ -383,6 +383,7 @@ libgimpui_introspectable_files = [
 ]
 
 if meson.is_cross_build()
+  have_gobject_introspection = false
   gobject_introspection_warning = '\n      '.join(['',
     'GObject Introspection is disabled while cross-compiling because',
     'GI tools do not manage to properly generate introspection data',
@@ -393,6 +394,7 @@ if meson.is_cross_build()
   warning(gobject_introspection_warning)
   warnings += gobject_introspection_warning
 else
+  have_gobject_introspection = true
   libgimp_gir_includes = [
     'Babl-0.1',
     'cairo-1.0',