diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 84f59bb89..72f1b4ddb 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - checkout
       - run: apk update && apk add ragel gcc g++ glib-dev freetype-dev cairo-dev git py3-pip ninja
-      - run: pip3 install meson==0.52.0
+      - run: pip3 install meson==0.56.0
       - run: meson build --buildtype=minsize
       - run: ninja -Cbuild -j9
       - run: meson test -Cbuild --print-errorlogs
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - checkout
       - run: apt update || true
-      - run: DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt install -y clang lld git binutils meson pkg-config ragel libfreetype6-dev libglib2.0-dev libcairo2-dev libicu-dev libgraphite2-dev
+      - run: DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt install -y python3 python3-pip ninja-build clang lld git binutils pkg-config ragel libfreetype6-dev libglib2.0-dev libcairo2-dev libicu-dev libgraphite2-dev
+      - run: pip3 install meson==0.56.0
       # asan+ubsan
       - run: rm -rf build && meson build --default-library=static -Db_sanitize=address,undefined --buildtype=debugoptimized --wrap-mode=nodownload -Dexperimental_api=true
       - run: ninja -Cbuild -j8 && meson test -Cbuild --print-errorlogs | asan_symbolize | c++filt
diff --git a/docs/meson.build b/docs/meson.build
index 73d9521fd..9da1fd564 100644
--- a/docs/meson.build
+++ b/docs/meson.build
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ ignore_headers = [
 
 gnome.gtkdoc('harfbuzz',
   main_sgml: 'harfbuzz-docs.xml',
-  src_dir: [join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), '../src'),
-            join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '../src'),
+  src_dir: [meson.current_source_dir() / '..' / 'src',
+            meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / 'src',
            ],
   scan_args: ['--deprecated-guards=HB_DISABLE_DEPRECATED',
               '--ignore-decorators=HB_EXTERN|HB_DEPRECATED',
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index cd7acff24..0cddf7c79 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 project('harfbuzz', 'c', 'cpp',
-  meson_version: '>= 0.52.0',
+  meson_version: '>= 0.55.0',
   version: '3.1.1',
   default_options: [
     'cpp_rtti=false',       # Just to support msvc, we are passing -fno-exceptions also anyway
@@ -141,18 +141,12 @@ if not get_option('cairo').disabled()
   endif
 
   if not cairo_dep.found()
-    # Requires Meson 0.54.0 to use cairo subproject
-    if meson.version().version_compare('>=0.54.0')
-      # Note that we don't have harfbuzz -> cairo -> freetype2 -> harfbuzz fallback
-      # dependency cycle here because we have configured freetype2 above with
-      # harfbuzz support disabled, so when cairo will lookup freetype2 dependency
-      # it will be forced to use that one.
-      cairo_dep = dependency('cairo', fallback: 'cairo', required: get_option('cairo'))
-      cairo_ft_dep = dependency('cairo-ft', fallback: 'cairo', required: get_option('cairo'))
-    elif get_option('cairo').enabled()
-      error('cairo feature is enabled but it cannot be found on the system and ' +
-            'meson>=0.54.0 is required to build it as subproject')
-    endif
+    # Note that we don't have harfbuzz -> cairo -> freetype2 -> harfbuzz fallback
+    # dependency cycle here because we have configured freetype2 above with
+    # harfbuzz support disabled, so when cairo will lookup freetype2 dependency
+    # it will be forced to use that one.
+    cairo_dep = dependency('cairo', fallback: 'cairo', required: get_option('cairo'))
+    cairo_ft_dep = dependency('cairo-ft', fallback: 'cairo', required: get_option('cairo'))
   endif
 endif
 
@@ -387,19 +381,6 @@ build_summary = {
      'Benchmark': get_option('benchmark').enabled(),
     },
 }
-if meson.version().version_compare('>=0.53')
-  foreach section_title, section : build_summary
-    summary(section, bool_yn: true, section: section_title)
-  endforeach
-else
-  summary = ['']
-  foreach section_title, section : build_summary
-    summary += '  @0@:'.format(section_title)
-    foreach feature, value : section
-      summary += '    @0@:'.format(feature)
-      summary += '          @0@'.format(value)
-    endforeach
-    summary += ''
-  endforeach
-  message('\n'.join(summary))
-endif
+foreach section_title, section : build_summary
+  summary(section, bool_yn: true, section: section_title)
+endforeach
diff --git a/perf/meson.build b/perf/meson.build
index c3b0e3e4a..e12744c4d 100644
--- a/perf/meson.build
+++ b/perf/meson.build
@@ -6,12 +6,6 @@ if get_option('experimental_api') and add_languages('rust', required: false, nat
   ttf_parser_dep = subproject('ttf-parser').get_variable('ttf_parser_dep')
 endif
 
-if ttf_parser_dep.found()
-  benchmark_cpp_args = ['-DHAVE_TTFPARSER']
-else
-  benchmark_cpp_args = []
-endif
-
 benchmark('perf', executable('perf', 'perf.cc',
   dependencies: [
     google_benchmark_dep, freetype_dep,
@@ -20,8 +14,8 @@ benchmark('perf', executable('perf', 'perf.cc',
     # https://github.com/RazrFalcon/ttf-parser/issues/29
     ttf_parser_dep, thread_dep, cpp.find_library('dl'),
   ],
-  cpp_args: benchmark_cpp_args,
+  cpp_args: ttf_parser_dep.found() ? ['-DHAVE_TTFPARSER'] : [],
   include_directories: [incconfig, incsrc],
   link_with: [libharfbuzz],
   install: false,
-), workdir: join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), '..'), timeout: 100)
+), workdir: meson.current_source_dir() / '..', timeout: 100)
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index bda44c683..1a114f6d4 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ hb_version_h = configure_file(
                input: 'hb-version.h.in',
                output: 'hb-version.h',
                install: true,
-               install_dir: join_paths(get_option('includedir'), meson.project_name()))
+               install_dir: get_option('includedir') / meson.project_name())
 
 # Base and default-included sources and headers
 hb_base_sources = files(
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ cmake_config.set('have_gobject', '@0@'.format(have_gobject))
 configure_file(input: 'harfbuzz-config.cmake.in',
   output: 'harfbuzz-config.cmake',
   configuration: cmake_config,
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('libdir'), 'cmake', 'harfbuzz'),
+  install_dir: get_option('libdir') / 'cmake' / 'harfbuzz',
 )
 
 libharfbuzz_gobject_dep = null_dep
@@ -579,14 +579,12 @@ if have_gobject
   h_templ = configure_file(
     input: 'hb-gobject-enums.h.tmpl',
     output: 'hb-gobject-enums-tmp.h.tmpl',
-    configuration: configuration_data(),
-    format: 'cmake')
+    copy: true)
 
   cc_templ = configure_file(
     input: 'hb-gobject-enums.cc.tmpl',
     output: 'hb-gobject-enums-tmp.cc.tmpl',
-    configuration: configuration_data(),
-    format: 'cmake')
+    copy: true)
 
   enums = gnome.mkenums('hb-gobject',
     sources: hb_headers,
@@ -607,7 +605,7 @@ if have_gobject
     output: 'hb-gobject-enums.h',
     command: [find_program('fix_get_types.py'), '@INPUT@', '@OUTPUT@'],
     install: true,
-    install_dir: join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('includedir'), meson.project_name()),
+    install_dir: get_option('prefix') / get_option('includedir') / meson.project_name(),
   )
 
   hb_gobject_sources += [enum_c]
@@ -658,16 +656,10 @@ if have_gobject
                     '--cflags-end'])
   endif
 
-  if build_gir
-    libharfbuzz_gobject_sources = hb_gen_files_gir
-  else
-    libharfbuzz_gobject_sources = hb_gobject_sources
-  endif
-
   libharfbuzz_gobject_dep = declare_dependency(
     link_with: libharfbuzz_gobject,
     include_directories: incsrc,
-    sources: libharfbuzz_gobject_sources,
+    sources: build_gir ? hb_gen_files_gir : hb_gobject_sources,
     dependencies: [glib_dep, gobject_dep])
 
   pkgmod.generate(libharfbuzz_gobject,
@@ -708,21 +700,13 @@ if get_option('tests').enabled()
   env.set('HBHEADERS', ' '.join(HBHEADERS))
 
   if cpp.get_id() != 'msvc' and not meson.is_cross_build() # ensure the local tools are usable
-    if meson.version().version_compare('>=0.55')
-      dist_check_script += 'check-libstdc++'
-    endif
-    dist_check_script += ['check-static-inits', 'check-symbols']
+    dist_check_script += ['check-libstdc++', 'check-static-inits', 'check-symbols']
   endif
 
   foreach name : dist_check_script
-    if name == 'check-symbols'
-      test_depends = defs_list
-    else
-      test_depends = []
-    endif
     test(name, find_program(name + '.py'),
       env: env,
-      depends: test_depends,
+      depends: name == 'check-symbols' ? defs_list : [],
       suite: ['src'],
     )
   endforeach
diff --git a/test/fuzzing/meson.build b/test/fuzzing/meson.build
index 9ddb4b2c7..3aba9eb67 100644
--- a/test/fuzzing/meson.build
+++ b/test/fuzzing/meson.build
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ test('shape_fuzzer', find_program('run-shape-fuzzer-tests.py'),
   ],
   timeout: 300,
   depends: [hb_shape_fuzzer_exe, libharfbuzz, libharfbuzz_subset],
-  workdir: join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..', '..'),
+  workdir: meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / '..',
   env: env,
   suite: ['fuzzing', 'slow'],
 )
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ test('subset_fuzzer', find_program('run-subset-fuzzer-tests.py'),
   # as the tests are ran concurrently let's raise acceptable time here
   # ideally better to break and let meson handles them in parallel
   timeout: 300,
-  workdir: join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..', '..'),
+  workdir: meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / '..',
   env: env,
   suite: ['fuzzing', 'slow'],
 )
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ test('draw_fuzzer', find_program('run-draw-fuzzer-tests.py'),
   args: [
     hb_draw_fuzzer_exe,
   ],
-  workdir: join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..', '..'),
+  workdir: meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / '..',
   env: env,
   suite: ['fuzzing'],
 )
diff --git a/test/shape/meson.build b/test/shape/meson.build
index dfc9f3297..48f5500eb 100644
--- a/test/shape/meson.build
+++ b/test/shape/meson.build
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ foreach file_name : in_house_tests
   test(test_name, shaping_run_tests_py,
     args: [
       hb_shape,
-      join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'data', 'in-house', 'tests', file_name),
+      meson.current_source_dir() / 'data' / 'in-house' / 'tests' / file_name,
     ],
     env: env,
-    workdir: join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..', '..'),
+    workdir: meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / '..',
     suite: ['shaping', 'in-house'],
   )
 endforeach
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ foreach file_name : aots_tests
   test(test_name, shaping_run_tests_py,
     args: [
       hb_shape,
-      join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'data', 'aots', 'tests', file_name),
+      meson.current_source_dir() / 'data' / 'aots' / 'tests' / file_name,
     ],
     env: env,
-    workdir: join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..', '..'),
+    workdir: meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / '..',
     suite: ['shaping', 'aots'],
   )
 endforeach
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ foreach file_name : text_rendering_tests
   test(test_name, shaping_run_tests_py,
     args: [
       hb_shape,
-      join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'data', 'text-rendering-tests', 'tests', file_name),
+      meson.current_source_dir() / 'data' / 'text-rendering-tests' / 'tests' / file_name,
     ],
     env: env,
-    workdir: join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..', '..'),
+    workdir: meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / '..',
     suite: ['shaping', 'text-rendering-tests'],
   )
 endforeach
diff --git a/test/subset/meson.build b/test/subset/meson.build
index bfcfa83a9..167e53a9e 100644
--- a/test/subset/meson.build
+++ b/test/subset/meson.build
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ foreach t : tests
   test(t, run_test,
     args: [
       hb_subset,
-      join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'data', 'tests', fname),
+      meson.current_source_dir() / 'data' / 'tests' / fname,
     ],
     # as the tests are ran concurrently let's raise acceptable time here
     # ideally better to break and let meson handles them in parallel
     timeout: 500,
-    workdir: join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..', '..'),
+    workdir: meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / '..',
     suite: 'subset',
   )
 endforeach
@@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ foreach t : repack_tests
   test(t, run_repack_test,
     args: [
       hb_subset,
-      join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'data', 'repack_tests', fname),
+      meson.current_source_dir() / 'data' / 'repack_tests' / fname,
     ],
-    workdir: join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..', '..'),
+    workdir: meson.current_build_dir() / '..' / '..',
     suite: ['subset', 'repack'],
   )
 endforeach