diff --git a/hw/Makefile.objs b/hw/Makefile.objs
index 73c49ddd3b..df72b25a64 100644
--- a/hw/Makefile.objs
+++ b/hw/Makefile.objs
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ devices-dirs-y += usb/
 devices-dirs-$(CONFIG_VFIO) += vfio/
 devices-dirs-y += virtio/
 devices-dirs-y += watchdog/
-devices-dirs-$(CONFIG_MEM_DEVICE) += mem/
 endif
 
 common-obj-y += $(devices-dirs-y)
diff --git a/hw/mem/Kconfig b/hw/mem/Kconfig
index c27844900d..a0ef2cf648 100644
--- a/hw/mem/Kconfig
+++ b/hw/mem/Kconfig
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ config NVDIMM
     bool
     default y
     depends on (PC || PSERIES || ARM_VIRT)
+    select MEM_DEVICE
diff --git a/hw/mem/Makefile.objs b/hw/mem/Makefile.objs
deleted file mode 100644
index 56345befd0..0000000000
--- a/hw/mem/Makefile.objs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-common-obj-$(CONFIG_DIMM) += pc-dimm.o
-common-obj-y += memory-device.o
-common-obj-$(CONFIG_NVDIMM) += nvdimm.o
diff --git a/hw/mem/meson.build b/hw/mem/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ba424622bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hw/mem/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+mem_ss = ss.source_set()
+mem_ss.add(files('memory-device.c'))
+mem_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_DIMM', if_true: files('pc-dimm.c'))
+mem_ss.add(when: 'CONFIG_NVDIMM', if_true: files('nvdimm.c'))
+
+softmmu_ss.add_all(when: 'CONFIG_MEM_DEVICE', if_true: mem_ss)
diff --git a/hw/meson.build b/hw/meson.build
index dccc2d19a6..542d675618 100644
--- a/hw/meson.build
+++ b/hw/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 subdir('core')
+subdir('mem')
 subdir('nubus')
 subdir('semihosting')
 subdir('smbios')