diff --git a/.github/workflows/autobuild.yml b/.github/workflows/autobuild.yml
index 3cc5822f..7a188d3b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/autobuild.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/autobuild.yml
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: msys2/setup-msys2@v2
         with:
           msystem: mingw64
-          install: base-devel git mingw-w64-x86_64-pkgconf mingw-w64-x86_64-cmake mingw-w64-x86_64-meson mingw-w64-x86_64-autotools mingw-w64-x86_64-gcc mingw-w64-x86_64-zlib
+          install: base-devel git mingw-w64-x86_64-cmake mingw-w64-x86_64-meson mingw-w64-x86_64-autotools mingw-w64-x86_64-gcc mingw-w64-x86_64-zlib
 
       - name: Build phase 2
         shell: msys2 {0}
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ jobs:
             echo 'Components: main universe' | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu.sources
           fi
           sudo apt update
-          sudo apt install git curl build-essential pkgconf automake libtool meson cmake -y
+          sudo apt install git curl build-essential automake libtool meson cmake -y
           if [ '${{ matrix.arch_mkxpz }}' != 'x86_64' ]
           then
             sudo apt install gcc-${{ matrix.arch_gcc }} g++-${{ matrix.arch_gcc }} zlib1g-dev:${{ matrix.arch_debian }} -y
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           mkdir ${{ runner.temp }}/retro-phase2
           cp retro/core.info ${{ runner.temp }}/retro-phase2/libretro-mkxp-z.info
-          PKG_CONFIG_PATH=${{ runner.temp }}/deps/share/pkgconfig meson setup build -Dretro=true -Dretro_phase1_path=retro/build/retro-phase1
+          PKG_CONFIG_PATH=${{ runner.temp }}/deps/share/pkgconfig meson setup build -Dretro=true -Dretro_phase1_path=retro/build/retro-phase1 -Dretro_lookup_method=pkg-config
           cd build
           ninja
           mv libretro-mkxp-z.dylib ${{ runner.temp }}/retro-phase2
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 0b3d1185..38a099ab 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ global_args += '-DHAVE_NANOSLEEP'
 
 if get_option('retro') == true
     retro_phase1 = get_option('retro_phase1_path')
+
     cmake = import('cmake')
+
     libzip_options = cmake.subproject_options()
     libzip_options.add_cmake_defines({
         'CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE': true,
@@ -47,12 +49,18 @@ if get_option('retro') == true
         'ENABLE_LZMA': false,
         'ENABLE_ZSTD': false,
     })
+
+    retro_deps = []
+    if get_option('retro_lookup_method') == 'pkg-config'
+        retro_deps += dependency('zlib', static: true)
+    else
+        retro_deps += compilers['cpp'].find_library('z', required: true, static: true)
+    endif
+    retro_deps += cmake.subproject('libzip', options: libzip_options).dependency('zip')
+
     library(
         'retro-' + meson.project_name(),
-        dependencies: [
-            dependency('zlib', static: true),
-            cmake.subproject('libzip', options: libzip_options).dependency('zip'),
-        ],
+        dependencies: retro_deps,
         c_args: [
             '-fno-optimize-sibling-calls',
             '-frounding-math',
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index e64e1879..bd27894c 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@ option('gfx_backend', type: 'combo', value: 'gl', choices: ['gl', 'gles'], descr
 
 option('retro', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'Build a libretro core instead of an executable')
 option('retro_phase1_path', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'Path to retro-phase1 for libretro builds')
+option('retro_lookup_method', type: 'combo', value: 'compiler', choices: ['compiler', 'pkg-config'], description: 'Method to use to locate software libraries for libretro builds')