diff --git a/src/autotools-config.h.in b/src/autotools-config.h.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4cee198
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/autotools-config.h.in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#mesondefine HAVE_STRUCT_DIRENT_D_TYPE
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index cf47097..dfbcd87 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -6,6 +6,20 @@ src = [
   'worker.cc'
 ]
 
+cc = meson.get_compiler('cpp')
+
+autotool_config = configuration_data()
+# nix defines this with autotools
+if cc.has_member('struct dirent', 'd_type', prefix: '#include <dirent.h>')
+  autotool_config.set('HAVE_STRUCT_DIRENT_D_TYPE', 1)
+endif
+
+configure_file(
+  input: 'autotools-config.h.in',
+  output: 'autotools-config.h',
+  configuration: autotool_config
+)
+
 executable('nix-eval-jobs', src,
            dependencies : [
              nix_main_dep,
@@ -17,4 +31,4 @@ executable('nix-eval-jobs', src,
              threads_dep
            ],
            install: true,
-           cpp_args: ['-std=c++2a', '-fvisibility=hidden'])
+           cpp_args: ['-std=c++2a', '-fvisibility=hidden', '--include', 'autotools-config.h'])