diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 2d78c992f..192902451 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+hb_version_h = configure_file(
+               command: [find_program('gen-hb-version.py'), meson.project_version(), '@OUTPUT@', '@INPUT@'],
+               input: 'hb-version.h.in',
+               output: 'hb-version.h',
+               install: true,
+               install_dir: join_paths(get_option('includedir'), meson.project_name()))
+
 # Base and default-included sources and headers
 hb_base_sources = files(
   'hb-aat-layout-ankr-table.hh',
@@ -214,9 +221,9 @@ hb_base_headers = files(
   'hb-shape.h',
   'hb-style.h',
   'hb-unicode.h',
-  'hb-version.h',
   'hb.h',
 )
+hb_base_headers += hb_version_h
 
 # Optional Sources and Headers with external deps
 
@@ -281,14 +288,6 @@ hb_gobject_headers = files(
   'hb-gobject-structs.h',
 )
 
-custom_target('hb-version.h',
-  build_by_default: true,
-  input: 'hb-version.h.in',
-  output: 'hb-version.h',
-  command: [find_program('gen-hb-version.py'), meson.project_version(),
-            '@OUTPUT@', '@INPUT@'],
-)
-
 ragel = find_program('ragel', required: false)
 if not ragel.found()
   warning('You have to install ragel if you are going to develop HarfBuzz itself')