diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index f28fb9bc1..cb86bb5ce 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ project('harfbuzz', 'c', 'cpp',
   meson_version: '>= 0.55.0',
   version: '6.0.0',
   default_options: [
-    'cpp_rtti=false',       # Just to support msvc, we are passing -fno-exceptions also anyway
+    'cpp_eh=none',          # Just to support msvc, we are passing -fno-exceptions also anyway
+    'cpp_rtti=false',       # Just to support msvc, we are passing -fno-rtti also anyway
     'cpp_std=c++11',
     'wrap_mode=nofallback', # Use --wrap-mode=default to revert, https://github.com/harfbuzz/harfbuzz/pull/2548
   ],
@@ -36,8 +37,6 @@ if cpp.get_argument_syntax() == 'msvc'
   add_project_arguments(msvc_args, language: ['c', 'cpp'])
   # Disable SAFESEH with MSVC for libs that use external deps that are built with MinGW
   # noseh_link_args = ['/SAFESEH:NO']
-  # disable exception handling
-  add_project_arguments(['/EHs-', '/EHc-'], language: 'cpp')
 endif
 
 add_project_link_arguments(cpp.get_supported_link_arguments([
diff --git a/subprojects/packagefiles/ragel/meson.build b/subprojects/packagefiles/ragel/meson.build
index cd317c200..4123ef28e 100644
--- a/subprojects/packagefiles/ragel/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/packagefiles/ragel/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 project('ragel', 'c', 'cpp',
-  version : '6.10'
+  version : '6.10',
+  default_options: [
+    'cpp_eh=default',
+  ],
 )
 
+cpp = meson.get_compiler('cpp')
+add_project_arguments(cpp.get_supported_arguments([
+  '-fexceptions',
+]), language: 'cpp')
+
 conf = configuration_data()
 conf.set_quoted('PACKAGE', meson.project_name())
 conf.set_quoted('VERSION', meson.project_version())