diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f27bd4b2eb..9d6b7fc8c0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -163,12 +163,7 @@ dtc/%: .git-submodule-status
 capstone/all:
 
 .PHONY: slirp/all
-slirp/all: .git-submodule-status
-	$(call quiet-command,$(MAKE) -C $(SRC_PATH)/slirp		\
-		BUILD_DIR="$(BUILD_DIR)/slirp" 			\
-		PKG_CONFIG="$(PKG_CONFIG)" 				\
-		CC="$(CC)" AR="$(AR)" 	LD="$(LD)" RANLIB="$(RANLIB)"	\
-		CFLAGS="$(QEMU_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)" LDFLAGS="$(QEMU_LDFLAGS)")
+slirp/all:
 
 ROM_DIRS = $(addprefix pc-bios/, $(ROMS))
 ROM_DIRS_RULES=$(foreach t, all clean, $(addsuffix /$(t), $(ROM_DIRS)))
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 66641099fc..51f4e978be 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ modules="no"
 module_upgrades="no"
 prefix="/usr/local"
 qemu_suffix="qemu"
-slirp=""
+slirp="auto"
 oss_lib=""
 bsd="no"
 linux="no"
@@ -1058,9 +1058,9 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --enable-vnc-png) vnc_png="enabled"
   ;;
-  --disable-slirp) slirp="no"
+  --disable-slirp) slirp="disabled"
   ;;
-  --enable-slirp=git) slirp="git"
+  --enable-slirp=git) slirp="internal"
   ;;
   --enable-slirp=system) slirp="system"
   ;;
@@ -5806,56 +5806,12 @@ fi
 ##########################################
 # check for slirp
 
-# slirp is only required when building softmmu targets
-if test -z "$slirp" -a "$softmmu" != "yes" ; then
-    slirp="no"
-fi
-
 case "$slirp" in
-  "" | yes)
-    if $pkg_config slirp; then
-      slirp=system
-    elif test -e "${source_path}/.git" && test $git_update = 'yes' ; then
-      slirp=git
-    elif test -e "${source_path}/slirp/Makefile" ; then
-      slirp=internal
-    elif test -z "$slirp" ; then
-      slirp=no
-    else
-      feature_not_found "slirp" "Install slirp devel or git submodule"
-    fi
-    ;;
-
-  system)
-    if ! $pkg_config slirp; then
-      feature_not_found "slirp" "Install slirp devel"
-    fi
-    ;;
-esac
-
-case "$slirp" in
-  git | internal)
-    if test "$slirp" = git; then
+  auto | enabled | internal)
+    # Simpler to always update submodule, even if not needed.
+    if test -e "${source_path}/.git" && test $git_update = 'yes' ; then
       git_submodules="${git_submodules} slirp"
     fi
-    mkdir -p slirp
-    slirp_cflags="-I${source_path}/slirp/src -Islirp/src"
-    slirp_libs="-Lslirp -lslirp"
-    if test "$mingw32" = "yes" ; then
-      slirp_libs="$slirp_libs -lws2_32 -liphlpapi"
-    fi
-    ;;
-
-  system)
-    slirp_version=$($pkg_config --modversion slirp 2>/dev/null)
-    slirp_cflags=$($pkg_config --cflags slirp 2>/dev/null)
-    slirp_libs=$($pkg_config --libs slirp 2>/dev/null)
-    ;;
-
-  no)
-    ;;
-  *)
-    error_exit "Unknown state for slirp: $slirp"
     ;;
 esac
 
@@ -6256,16 +6212,8 @@ fi
 if test "$guest_agent" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_GUEST_AGENT=y" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
-if test "$slirp" != "no"; then
-  echo "CONFIG_SLIRP=y" >> $config_host_mak
-  echo "CONFIG_SMBD_COMMAND=\"$smbd\"" >> $config_host_mak
-  echo "SLIRP_CFLAGS=$slirp_cflags" >> $config_host_mak
-  echo "SLIRP_LIBS=$slirp_libs" >> $config_host_mak
-fi
+echo "CONFIG_SMBD_COMMAND=\"$smbd\"" >> $config_host_mak
 subdirs=
-if [ "$slirp" = "git" -o "$slirp" = "internal" ]; then
-  subdirs="$subdirs slirp"
-fi
 if test "$vde" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_VDE=y" >> $config_host_mak
   echo "VDE_LIBS=$vde_libs" >> $config_host_mak
@@ -7321,7 +7269,7 @@ NINJA=${ninja:-$PWD/ninjatool} $meson setup \
 	-Dcocoa=$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 \
-	-Dcapstone=$capstone \
+	-Dcapstone=$capstone -Dslirp=$slirp \
         $cross_arg \
         "$PWD" "$source_path"
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 64c5c5a33c..6ee8c3265c 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -300,11 +300,6 @@ else
   xkbcommon = dependency('xkbcommon', required: get_option('xkbcommon'),
                          method: 'pkg-config', static: enable_static)
 endif
-slirp = not_found
-if config_host.has_key('CONFIG_SLIRP')
-  slirp = declare_dependency(compile_args: config_host['SLIRP_CFLAGS'].split(),
-                             link_args: config_host['SLIRP_LIBS'].split())
-endif
 vde = not_found
 if config_host.has_key('CONFIG_VDE')
   vde = declare_dependency(link_args: config_host['VDE_LIBS'].split())
@@ -966,7 +961,88 @@ if capstone_opt == 'internal'
   capstone = declare_dependency(link_with: libcapstone,
                                 include_directories: 'capstone/include')
 endif
+
+slirp = not_found
+slirp_opt = 'disabled'
+if have_system
+  slirp_opt = get_option('slirp')
+  if slirp_opt in ['enabled', 'auto', 'system']
+    have_internal = fs.exists(meson.current_source_dir() / 'slirp/meson.build')
+    slirp = dependency('slirp', static: enable_static,
+                       method: 'pkg-config',
+                       required: slirp_opt == 'system' or
+                                 slirp_opt == 'enabled' and not have_internal)
+    if slirp.found()
+      slirp_opt = 'system'
+    elif have_internal
+      slirp_opt = 'internal'
+    else
+      slirp_opt = 'disabled'
+    endif
+  endif
+  if slirp_opt == 'internal'
+    slirp_deps = []
+    if targetos == 'windows'
+      slirp_deps = cc.find_library('iphlpapi')
+    endif
+    slirp_conf = configuration_data()
+    slirp_conf.set('SLIRP_MAJOR_VERSION', meson.project_version().split('.')[0])
+    slirp_conf.set('SLIRP_MINOR_VERSION', meson.project_version().split('.')[1])
+    slirp_conf.set('SLIRP_MICRO_VERSION', meson.project_version().split('.')[2])
+    slirp_conf.set_quoted('SLIRP_VERSION_STRING', meson.project_version())
+    slirp_cargs = ['-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="Slirp"']
+    slirp_files = [
+      'slirp/src/arp_table.c',
+      'slirp/src/bootp.c',
+      'slirp/src/cksum.c',
+      'slirp/src/dhcpv6.c',
+      'slirp/src/dnssearch.c',
+      'slirp/src/if.c',
+      'slirp/src/ip6_icmp.c',
+      'slirp/src/ip6_input.c',
+      'slirp/src/ip6_output.c',
+      'slirp/src/ip_icmp.c',
+      'slirp/src/ip_input.c',
+      'slirp/src/ip_output.c',
+      'slirp/src/mbuf.c',
+      'slirp/src/misc.c',
+      'slirp/src/ncsi.c',
+      'slirp/src/ndp_table.c',
+      'slirp/src/sbuf.c',
+      'slirp/src/slirp.c',
+      'slirp/src/socket.c',
+      'slirp/src/state.c',
+      'slirp/src/stream.c',
+      'slirp/src/tcp_input.c',
+      'slirp/src/tcp_output.c',
+      'slirp/src/tcp_subr.c',
+      'slirp/src/tcp_timer.c',
+      'slirp/src/tftp.c',
+      'slirp/src/udp.c',
+      'slirp/src/udp6.c',
+      'slirp/src/util.c',
+      'slirp/src/version.c',
+      'slirp/src/vmstate.c',
+    ]
+
+    configure_file(
+      input : 'slirp/src/libslirp-version.h.in',
+      output : 'libslirp-version.h',
+      configuration: slirp_conf)
+
+    slirp_inc = include_directories('slirp', 'slirp/src')
+    libslirp = static_library('slirp',
+                              sources: slirp_files,
+                              c_args: slirp_cargs,
+                              include_directories: slirp_inc)
+    slirp = declare_dependency(link_with: libslirp,
+                               dependencies: slirp_deps,
+                               include_directories: slirp_inc)
+  endif
+endif
+
 config_host_data.set('CONFIG_CAPSTONE', capstone.found())
+config_host_data.set('CONFIG_SLIRP', slirp.found())
 
 genh += configure_file(output: 'config-host.h', configuration: config_host_data)
 
@@ -1643,8 +1719,8 @@ summary_info += {'python':            '@0@ (version: @1@)'.format(python.full_pa
 summary_info += {'sphinx-build':      config_host['SPHINX_BUILD']}
 summary_info += {'genisoimage':       config_host['GENISOIMAGE']}
 # TODO: add back version
-summary_info += {'slirp support':     config_host.has_key('CONFIG_SLIRP')}
-if config_host.has_key('CONFIG_SLIRP')
+summary_info += {'slirp support':     slirp_opt == 'disabled' ? false : slirp_opt}
+if slirp_opt != 'disabled'
   summary_info += {'smbd':            config_host['CONFIG_SMBD_COMMAND']}
 endif
 summary_info += {'module support':    config_host.has_key('CONFIG_MODULES')}
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index a0455d8a95..8a362fb08d 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -52,3 +52,6 @@ option('xkbcommon', type : 'feature', value : 'auto',
 option('capstone', type: 'combo', value: 'auto',
        choices: ['disabled', 'enabled', 'auto', 'system', 'internal'],
        description: 'Whether and how to find the capstone library')
+option('slirp', type: 'combo', value: 'auto',
+       choices: ['disabled', 'enabled', 'auto', 'system', 'internal'],
+       description: 'Whether and how to find the slirp library')
diff --git a/net/meson.build b/net/meson.build
index 6c2ec47dd5..1c7e3a3cb9 100644
--- a/net/meson.build
+++ b/net/meson.build
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ softmmu_ss.add(files(
 ))
 
 softmmu_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_L2TPV3', if_true: files('l2tpv3.c'))
-softmmu_ss.add(when: ['CONFIG_SLIRP', slirp], if_true: files('slirp.c'))
+softmmu_ss.add(when: slirp, if_true: files('slirp.c'))
 softmmu_ss.add(when: ['CONFIG_VDE', vde], if_true: files('vde.c'))
 softmmu_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_NETMAP', if_true: files('netmap.c'))
 vhost_user_ss = ss.source_set()
diff --git a/tests/qtest/meson.build b/tests/qtest/meson.build
index 4f7757ee93..ad33ac311d 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/meson.build
+++ b/tests/qtest/meson.build
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ qtests_pci = \
   (config_all_devices.has_key('CONFIG_IVSHMEM_DEVICE') ? ['ivshmem-test'] : [])
 
 qtests_i386 = \
-  (config_host.has_key('CONFIG_SLIRP') ? ['pxe-test', 'test-netfilter'] : []) +             \
+  (slirp.found() ? ['pxe-test', 'test-netfilter'] : []) +             \
   (config_host.has_key('CONFIG_POSIX') ? ['test-filter-mirror'] : []) +                     \
   (have_tools ? ['ahci-test'] : []) +                                                       \
   (config_all_devices.has_key('CONFIG_ISA_TESTDEV') ? ['endianness-test'] : []) +           \
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ qtests_ppc64 = \
   (config_all_devices.has_key('CONFIG_PSERIES') ? ['device-plug-test'] : []) +               \
   (config_all_devices.has_key('CONFIG_POWERNV') ? ['pnv-xscom-test'] : []) +                 \
   (config_all_devices.has_key('CONFIG_PSERIES') ? ['rtas-test'] : []) +                      \
-  (config_host.has_key('CONFIG_SLIRP') ? ['pxe-test', 'test-netfilter'] : []) +              \
+  (slirp.found() ? ['pxe-test', 'test-netfilter'] : []) +              \
   (config_all_devices.has_key('CONFIG_USB_UHCI') ? ['usb-hcd-uhci-test'] : []) +             \
   (config_all_devices.has_key('CONFIG_USB_XHCI_NEC') ? ['usb-hcd-xhci-test'] : []) +         \
   (config_host.has_key('CONFIG_POSIX') ? ['test-filter-mirror'] : []) +                      \
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ qtests_aarch64 = \
    'migration-test']
 
 qtests_s390x = \
-  (config_host.has_key('CONFIG_SLIRP') ? ['pxe-test', 'test-netfilter'] : []) +                 \
+  (slirp.found() ? ['pxe-test', 'test-netfilter'] : []) +                 \
   (config_host.has_key('CONFIG_POSIX') ? ['test-filter-mirror'] : []) +                         \
   (config_host.has_key('CONFIG_POSIX') ? ['test-filter-redirector'] : []) +                     \
   ['boot-serial-test',
