diff --git a/docs/meson.build b/docs/meson.build
index bbcdccce68..bb72c10ea8 100644
--- a/docs/meson.build
+++ b/docs/meson.build
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
-if get_option('sphinx_build') == ''
-  sphinx_build = find_program(['sphinx-build-3', 'sphinx-build'],
-                              required: get_option('docs'))
-else
-  sphinx_build = find_program(get_option('sphinx_build'),
-                              required: get_option('docs'))
-endif
+sphinx_build = find_program(get_option('sphinx_build'),
+                            required: get_option('docs'))
 
 # Check if tools are available to build documentation.
 build_docs = false
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 6b0900205e..fc9447d267 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ option('pkgversion', type : 'string', value : '',
        description: 'use specified string as sub-version of the package')
 option('smbd', type : 'string', value : '',
        description: 'Path to smbd for slirp networking')
-option('sphinx_build', type : 'string', value : '',
+option('sphinx_build', type : 'string', value : 'sphinx-build',
        description: 'Use specified sphinx-build for building document')
 option('iasl', type : 'string', value : '',
        description: 'Path to ACPI disassembler')
diff --git a/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh b/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
index 5d969a94c0..009fab1515 100644
--- a/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
+++ b/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ meson_options_help() {
   printf "%s\n" '  --localstatedir=VALUE    Localstate data directory [/var/local]'
   printf "%s\n" '  --mandir=VALUE           Manual page directory [share/man]'
   printf "%s\n" '  --sphinx-build=VALUE     Use specified sphinx-build for building document'
+  printf "%s\n" '                           [sphinx-build]'
   printf "%s\n" '  --sysconfdir=VALUE       Sysconf data directory [etc]'
   printf "%s\n" '  --tls-priority=VALUE     Default TLS protocol/cipher priority string'
   printf "%s\n" '                           [NORMAL]'