diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 3745acde1..d634461a2 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@
 
 PROJECT="libva"
 
+# for `meson dist`
+if test -z "$srcdir"; then
+    srcdir="$MESON_PROJECT_DIST_ROOT"
+    test -n "$srcdir" || srcdir="$MESON_DIST_ROOT"
+    NOCONFIGURE=1
+fi
+
 test -n "$srcdir" || srcdir="`dirname \"$0\"`"
 test -n "$srcdir" || srcdir=.
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 6acf90676..c7009f8fb 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -157,3 +157,5 @@ doxygen = find_program('doxygen', required: false)
 if get_option('enable_docs') and doxygen.found()
   subdir('doc')
 endif
+
+meson.add_dist_script('./autogen.sh')