diff --git a/lix/libcmd/meson.build b/lix/libcmd/meson.build
index 637f5eff1..d80bb66e1 100644
--- a/lix/libcmd/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libcmd/meson.build
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ libcmd = library(
     liblixexpr,
     liblixfetchers,
     liblixmain,
-    boehm,
     ncurses,
     editline,
     lowdown,
diff --git a/lix/libexpr/meson.build b/lix/libexpr/meson.build
index e2f785a5b..9dbda5a31 100644
--- a/lix/libexpr/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libexpr/meson.build
@@ -295,6 +295,8 @@ install_headers(
 liblixexpr = declare_dependency(
   include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
   sources : libexpr_settings_header,
+  # Parallels the requirement to link with boehm of the pkg-config but for internal targets.
+  dependencies : [boehm],
   link_with : libexpr,
 )
 
@@ -303,6 +305,7 @@ if is_static
   liblixexpr_mstatic = declare_dependency(
     include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
     sources : libexpr_settings_header,
+    dependencies : [boehm],
     link_whole : libexpr,
   )
 else
diff --git a/lix/libutil/meson.build b/lix/libutil/meson.build
index d27eb3e6e..d3e5daba1 100644
--- a/lix/libutil/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libutil/meson.build
@@ -327,6 +327,11 @@ liblixutil = declare_dependency(
     deprecated_features_header,
     libutil_settings_headers,
   ],
+  dependencies: [
+    # Everything has to link to kj if it uses libutil internally (ensured by
+    # lix-base pkg-config externally)
+    kj,
+  ],
   link_with : libutil
 )
 
@@ -339,6 +344,11 @@ if is_static
       deprecated_features_header,
       libutil_settings_headers,
     ],
+    dependencies: [
+      # Everything has to link to kj if it uses libutil internally (ensured by
+      # lix-base pkg-config externally)
+      kj,
+    ],
     link_whole : libutil,
   )
 else
diff --git a/tests/unit/meson.build b/tests/unit/meson.build
index c839e5498..00a4eae42 100644
--- a/tests/unit/meson.build
+++ b/tests/unit/meson.build
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ libutil_test_support = library(
     # TODO(Qyriad): libutil tests really should not depend on libexpr...
     liblixexpr,
     rapidcheck,
-    boehm,
   ],
   include_directories : include_directories('libutil-support'),
 )
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@ libutil_tester = executable(
     libasanoptions,
     rapidcheck,
     gtest,
-    boehm,
     liblixutil,
     liblixexpr_mstatic,
     liblixutil_test_support,
@@ -113,7 +111,6 @@ libstore_test_support = library(
     liblixutil,
     liblixstore,
     rapidcheck,
-    boehm,
     kj,
   ],
   include_directories : include_directories(
@@ -219,7 +216,6 @@ libexpr_tester = executable(
     liblixexpr_mstatic,
     liblixfetchers_mstatic,
     rapidcheck,
-    boehm,
     gtest,
     nlohmann_json,
     kj,