diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index ada35d56e1..022272f4cf 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -504,16 +504,16 @@ if have_system and not get_option('curses').disabled()
     endif
   endforeach
   msg = get_option('curses').enabled() ? 'curses library not found' : ''
+  curses_compile_args = ['-DNCURSES_WIDECHAR']
   if curses.found()
-    if cc.links(curses_test, dependencies: [curses])
-      curses = declare_dependency(compile_args: '-DNCURSES_WIDECHAR', dependencies: [curses])
+    if cc.links(curses_test, args: curses_compile_args, dependencies: [curses])
+      curses = declare_dependency(compile_args: curses_compile_args, dependencies: [curses])
     else
       msg = 'curses package not usable'
       curses = not_found
     endif
   endif
   if not curses.found()
-    curses_compile_args = ['-DNCURSES_WIDECHAR']
     has_curses_h = cc.has_header('curses.h', args: curses_compile_args)
     if targetos != 'windows' and not has_curses_h
       message('Trying with /usr/include/ncursesw')