diff --git a/mesonbuild/dependencies/dub.py b/mesonbuild/dependencies/dub.py
index 1c904ab2a5af..009e4f46ffbb 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/dependencies/dub.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/dependencies/dub.py
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ def find_package_target(pkg: DubPackDesc) -> bool:
         for lib in bs['libs']:
             if os.name != 'nt':
                 # trying to add system libraries by pkg-config
-                pkgdep = PkgConfigDependency(lib, environment, {'required': 'true', 'silent': 'true'})
+                pkgdep = PkgConfigDependency(lib, environment, {'required': True, 'silent': True})
                 if pkgdep.is_found:
                     for arg in pkgdep.get_compile_args():
                         self.compile_args.append(arg)