diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index a156e105c..b907d4269 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -301,8 +301,7 @@ endif
 custom_target('harfbuzz.cc',
   build_by_default: true,
   output: 'harfbuzz.cc',
-  command: [find_program('gen-harfbuzzcc.py'),
-            meson.source_root() / '@OUTPUT@'] +
+  command: [find_program('gen-harfbuzzcc.py'), 'harfbuzz.cc'] +
             hb_base_sources + hb_glib_sources + hb_ft_sources +
             hb_graphite2_sources + hb_uniscribe_sources + hb_gdi_sources +
             hb_directwrite_sources + hb_coretext_sources)