diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e591d1b2b4..e387b67a3b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -313,7 +313,6 @@ dummy := $(call unnest-vars,, \
                 ivshmem-server-obj-y \
                 rdmacm-mux-obj-y \
                 vhost-user-scsi-obj-y \
-                vhost-user-blk-obj-y \
                 vhost-user-input-obj-y \
                 vhost-user-gpu-obj-y \
                 qga-vss-dll-obj-y \
@@ -536,8 +535,6 @@ ivshmem-server$(EXESUF): $(ivshmem-server-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 endif
 vhost-user-scsi$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-scsi-obj-y) contrib/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
 	$(call LINK, $^)
-vhost-user-blk$(EXESUF): $(vhost-user-blk-obj-y) contrib/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.a $(COMMON_LDADDS)
-	$(call LINK, $^)
 
 rdmacm-mux$(EXESUF): LIBS += "-libumad"
 rdmacm-mux$(EXESUF): $(rdmacm-mux-obj-y) $(COMMON_LDADDS)
diff --git a/Makefile.objs b/Makefile.objs
index fee0f71372..f69736c10c 100644
--- a/Makefile.objs
+++ b/Makefile.objs
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ ivshmem-server-obj-$(CONFIG_IVSHMEM) = contrib/ivshmem-server/
 vhost-user-scsi.o-cflags := $(LIBISCSI_CFLAGS)
 vhost-user-scsi.o-libs := $(LIBISCSI_LIBS)
 vhost-user-scsi-obj-y = contrib/vhost-user-scsi/
-vhost-user-blk-obj-y = contrib/vhost-user-blk/
 rdmacm-mux-obj-y = contrib/rdmacm-mux/
 vhost-user-input-obj-y = contrib/vhost-user-input/
 vhost-user-gpu-obj-y = contrib/vhost-user-gpu/
diff --git a/contrib/vhost-user-blk/Makefile.objs b/contrib/vhost-user-blk/Makefile.objs
deleted file mode 100644
index 72e2cdc3ad..0000000000
--- a/contrib/vhost-user-blk/Makefile.objs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-vhost-user-blk-obj-y = vhost-user-blk.o
diff --git a/contrib/vhost-user-blk/meson.build b/contrib/vhost-user-blk/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5db8cc3fe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/vhost-user-blk/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# FIXME: broken on 32-bit architectures
+executable('vhost-user-blk', files('vhost-user-blk.c'),
+           link_with: libvhost_user,
+           dependencies: qemuutil,
+           build_by_default: false,
+           install: false)
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 00970e6e19..4343f0be6c 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ qemuutil = declare_dependency(link_with: libqemuutil,
 if have_tools
   if 'CONFIG_VHOST_USER' in config_host
     subdir('contrib/libvhost-user')
+    subdir('contrib/vhost-user-blk')
   endif
 endif