diff --git a/src/sage/graphs/meson.build b/src/sage/graphs/meson.build
index d83cdca99dc..fef9ee2688d 100644
--- a/src/sage/graphs/meson.build
+++ b/src/sage/graphs/meson.build
@@ -5,14 +5,22 @@ if cc.has_header('mcqd.h')
 else
   mcqd = disabler()
 endif
-cliquer = cc.find_library('cliquer', required: not is_windows, disabler: true)
 
-# Cannot be found via pkg-config
-planarity = cc.find_library(
-  'planarity',
-  required: not is_windows,
-  disabler: true,
-)
+cliquer = dependency('libcliquer', required: false, disabler: true)
+if not cliquer.found()
+  # fallback for older versions without pkg-config
+  cliquer = cc.find_library('cliquer', required: not is_windows, disabler: true)
+endif
+
+planarity = dependency('libplanarity', required: false, disabler: true)
+if not planarity.found()
+  # fallback for older versions without pkg-config
+  planarity = cc.find_library(
+    'planarity',
+    required: not is_windows,
+    disabler: true,
+  )
+endif
 
 py.install_sources(
   '__init__.py',
diff --git a/src/sage/libs/meson.build b/src/sage/libs/meson.build
index 6f8105ad7a7..4d3a0d8dff3 100644
--- a/src/sage/libs/meson.build
+++ b/src/sage/libs/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-sirocco = cc.find_library('sirocco', required: false, disabler: true)
+sirocco = dependency('libsirocco', required: false, disabler: true)
+if not sirocco.found()
+  # fallback for older versions without pkg-config
+  sirocco = cc.find_library('sirocco', required: false, disabler: true)
+endif
 # cannot be found via pkg-config
 ecl = cc.find_library('ecl', required: false, disabler: true)
 if not ecl.found() and not is_windows
@@ -77,12 +81,16 @@ gc = dependency(
   required: not is_windows,
   disabler: true,
 )
-homfly = cc.find_library(
-  'homfly',
-  has_headers: ['homfly.h'],
-  required: false,
-  disabler: true,
-)
+homfly = dependency('libhomfly', required: false, disabler: true)
+if not homfly.found()
+  # fallback for older versions without pkg-config
+  homfly = cc.find_library(
+    'homfly',
+    has_headers: ['homfly.h'],
+    required: false,
+    disabler: true,
+  )
+endif
 
 py.install_sources(
   '__init__.py',
diff --git a/src/sage/libs/symmetrica/meson.build b/src/sage/libs/symmetrica/meson.build
index e6d178f064a..f68d9178d71 100644
--- a/src/sage/libs/symmetrica/meson.build
+++ b/src/sage/libs/symmetrica/meson.build
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
-# Cannot be found by pkg-config
-symmetrica = cc.find_library(
-  'symmetrica',
-  required: not is_windows,
-  disabler: true,
-)
+symmetrica = dependency('symmetrica', required: false, disabler: true)
+if not symmetrica.found()
+  # fallback for older versions without pkg-config
+  symmetrica = cc.find_library(
+    'symmetrica',
+    required: not is_windows,
+    disabler: true,
+  )
+endif
 
 py.install_sources('__init__.py', 'all.py', subdir: 'sage/libs/symmetrica')
 
diff --git a/src/sage/rings/polynomial/pbori/meson.build b/src/sage/rings/polynomial/pbori/meson.build
index c356ecead8d..423920f5ffd 100644
--- a/src/sage/rings/polynomial/pbori/meson.build
+++ b/src/sage/rings/polynomial/pbori/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-brial = cc.find_library('brial', required: false, disabler: true)
+brial = dependency('brial', required: false, disabler: true)
+if not brial.found()
+  # fallback for older versions without pkg-config
+  brial = cc.find_library('brial', required: false, disabler: true)
+endif
 # Cannot be found via pkg-config
 brial_groebner = cc.find_library(
   'brial_groebner',