--- a/giscanner/meson.build
+++ b/giscanner/meson.build
@@ -95,29 +95,12 @@
   dependencies: [glib_dep, gobject_dep, gio_dep, gmodule_dep],
 )
 
-# https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/4117
-if host_machine.system() == 'windows'
-  python_ext_dep = python.dependency()
-else
-  python_ext_dep = python.dependency().partial_dependency(compile_args: true)
-endif
-
-if not python_ext_dep.found()
-  # For example if Python is 32bit but we require a 64bit variant
-  error('Python installation not useable')
-endif
-
 giscanner_pymod = python.extension_module('_giscanner', ['giscannermodule.c'],
   link_with: giscanner_lib,
   c_args: gi_hidden_visibility_cflags + custom_c_args,
   include_directories : configinc,
-  dependencies: [
-    glib_dep,
-    gobject_dep,
-    gio_dep,
-    gmodule_dep,
-    python_ext_dep,
-  ],
+  dependencies: [glib_dep, gobject_dep, gio_dep, gmodule_dep],
+  link_args: '-lpython@PYTHON_VERSION@',
   install: true,
   install_dir: giscannerdir,
 )
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   default_options: [
     'c_std=gnu99',
     'warning_level=2',
+    'c_link_args=-lpython@PYTHON_VERSION@',
     'buildtype=debugoptimized',
   ],
 )
@@ -174,9 +175,6 @@
   output: 'config.h'
 )
 
-# python headers
-cc.check_header('Python.h', dependencies: [python.dependency()], required: true)
-
 # cairo
 cairo_option = get_option('cairo')
 if cc.get_id() == 'msvc'