diff --git a/chardev/meson.build b/chardev/meson.build
index 4e19722c5e..32377af383 100644
--- a/chardev/meson.build
+++ b/chardev/meson.build
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ softmmu_ss.add(files('msmouse.c', 'wctablet.c', 'testdev.c'))
 
 chardev_modules = {}
 
-if config_host.has_key('CONFIG_BRLAPI')
+if brlapi.found()
   module_ss = ss.source_set()
   module_ss.add(when: [brlapi], if_true: [files('baum.c'), pixman])
   chardev_modules += { 'baum': module_ss }
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index b6d29a0b30..29d2b1ebe6 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ for opt do
   esac
 done
 
-brlapi="$default_feature"
+brlapi="auto"
 curl="$default_feature"
 iconv="auto"
 curses="auto"
@@ -1104,9 +1104,9 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --enable-xen-pci-passthrough) xen_pci_passthrough="enabled"
   ;;
-  --disable-brlapi) brlapi="no"
+  --disable-brlapi) brlapi="disabled"
   ;;
-  --enable-brlapi) brlapi="yes"
+  --enable-brlapi) brlapi="enabled"
   ;;
   --disable-kvm) kvm="disabled"
   ;;
@@ -3424,26 +3424,6 @@ for drv in $audio_drv_list; do
     esac
 done
 
-##########################################
-# BrlAPI probe
-
-if test "$brlapi" != "no" ; then
-  brlapi_libs="-lbrlapi"
-  cat > $TMPC << EOF
-#include <brlapi.h>
-#include <stddef.h>
-int main( void ) { return brlapi__openConnection (NULL, NULL, NULL); }
-EOF
-  if compile_prog "" "$brlapi_libs" ; then
-    brlapi=yes
-  else
-    if test "$brlapi" = "yes" ; then
-      feature_not_found "brlapi" "Install brlapi devel"
-    fi
-    brlapi=no
-  fi
-fi
-
 ##########################################
 # curl probe
 if test "$curl" != "no" ; then
@@ -6133,10 +6113,6 @@ if test "$curl" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CURL_CFLAGS=$curl_cflags" >> $config_host_mak
   echo "CURL_LIBS=$curl_libs" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
-if test "$brlapi" = "yes" ; then
-  echo "CONFIG_BRLAPI=y" >> $config_host_mak
-  echo "BRLAPI_LIBS=$brlapi_libs" >> $config_host_mak
-fi
 if test "$gtk" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_GTK=y" >> $config_host_mak
   echo "GTK_CFLAGS=$gtk_cflags" >> $config_host_mak
@@ -6975,7 +6951,7 @@ NINJA=$ninja $meson setup \
         -Dcocoa=$cocoa -Dmpath=$mpath -Dsdl=$sdl -Dsdl_image=$sdl_image \
         -Dvnc=$vnc -Dvnc_sasl=$vnc_sasl -Dvnc_jpeg=$vnc_jpeg -Dvnc_png=$vnc_png \
         -Dgettext=$gettext -Dxkbcommon=$xkbcommon -Du2f=$u2f -Dvirtiofsd=$virtiofsd \
-        -Dcapstone=$capstone -Dslirp=$slirp -Dfdt=$fdt \
+        -Dcapstone=$capstone -Dslirp=$slirp -Dfdt=$fdt -Dbrlapi=$brlapi \
         -Diconv=$iconv -Dcurses=$curses -Dlibudev=$libudev\
         -Ddocs=$docs -Dsphinx_build=$sphinx_build -Dinstall_blobs=$blobs \
         -Dvhost_user_blk_server=$vhost_user_blk_server \
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d114a0137b..2bc667721d 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -574,8 +574,21 @@ if have_system and not get_option('curses').disabled()
 endif
 
 brlapi = not_found
-if 'CONFIG_BRLAPI' in config_host
-  brlapi = declare_dependency(link_args: config_host['BRLAPI_LIBS'].split())
+if not get_option('brlapi').auto() or have_system
+  brlapi = cc.find_library('brlapi', has_headers: ['brlapi.h'],
+                         required: get_option('brlapi'),
+                         static: enable_static)
+  if brlapi.found() and not cc.links('''
+     #include <brlapi.h>
+     #include <stddef.h>
+     int main(void) { return brlapi__openConnection (NULL, NULL, NULL); }''', dependencies: brlapi)
+    brlapi = not_found
+    if get_option('brlapi').enabled()
+      error('could not link brlapi')
+    else
+      warning('could not link brlapi, disabling')
+    endif
+  endif
 endif
 
 sdl = not_found
@@ -858,6 +871,7 @@ config_host_data.set_quoted('CONFIG_QEMU_LOCALSTATEDIR', get_option('prefix') /
 config_host_data.set_quoted('CONFIG_QEMU_MODDIR', get_option('prefix') / qemu_moddir)
 config_host_data.set_quoted('CONFIG_SYSCONFDIR', get_option('prefix') / get_option('sysconfdir'))
 
+config_host_data.set('CONFIG_BRLAPI', brlapi.found())
 config_host_data.set('CONFIG_COCOA', cocoa.found())
 config_host_data.set('CONFIG_LIBUDEV', libudev.found())
 config_host_data.set('CONFIG_MPATH', mpathpersist.found())
@@ -2169,7 +2183,7 @@ summary_info += {'xen support':       config_host.has_key('CONFIG_XEN_BACKEND')}
 if config_host.has_key('CONFIG_XEN_BACKEND')
   summary_info += {'xen ctrl version':  config_host['CONFIG_XEN_CTRL_INTERFACE_VERSION']}
 endif
-summary_info += {'brlapi support':    config_host.has_key('CONFIG_BRLAPI')}
+summary_info += {'brlapi support':    brlapi.found()}
 summary_info += {'Documentation':     build_docs}
 summary_info += {'PIE':               get_option('b_pie')}
 summary_info += {'vde support':       config_host.has_key('CONFIG_VDE')}
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 242e0769fb..62efe96a91 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ option('cfi', type: 'boolean', value: 'false',
 option('cfi_debug', type: 'boolean', value: 'false',
        description: 'Verbose errors in case of CFI violation')
 
+option('brlapi', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
+       description: 'brlapi character device driver')
 option('cocoa', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
        description: 'Cocoa user interface (macOS only)')
 option('mpath', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',