diff --git a/contrib/plugins/meson.build b/contrib/plugins/meson.build
index d40c646c3..94ce0afd5 100644
--- a/contrib/plugins/meson.build
+++ b/contrib/plugins/meson.build
@@ -2,14 +2,11 @@
 # Explicitly link curl so it binds to Nix-store libcurl, not /usr/lib/libcurl.
 if is_darwin
   plugin_deps = [
-    liblixutil.partial_dependency(includes : true, compile_args : true),
-    liblixstore.partial_dependency(includes : true, compile_args : true),
-    liblixexpr.partial_dependency(includes : true, compile_args : true),
-    liblixfetchers.partial_dependency(includes : true, compile_args : true),
+    liblix.partial_dependency(includes : true, compile_args : true),
     curl,
   ]
 else
-  plugin_deps = [liblixutil, liblixstore, liblixexpr, liblixfetchers, curl]
+  plugin_deps = [liblix, curl]
 endif
 
 plugin_mtls_store = shared_module(
diff --git a/lix/libcmd/meson.build b/lix/libcmd/meson.build
index 3ba822fcd..20804cb0a 100644
--- a/lix/libcmd/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libcmd/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-libcmd_sources = files(
+liblix_sources += files(
   'built-path.cc',
   'cmd-profiles.cc',
   'command.cc',
@@ -32,44 +32,8 @@ libcmd_headers = files(
   'repl.hh',
 )
 
-libcmd_generated_headers = [
+liblix_generated_headers += [
   gen_header.process('repl-overlays.nix', preserve_path_from: meson.current_source_dir()),
 ]
 
-libcmd = library(
-  'lixcmd',
-  libcmd_generated_headers,
-  libcmd_sources,
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-    liblixstore,
-    liblixfetchers,
-    liblixexpr,
-    liblixmain,
-    liblix_doc,
-    boehm,
-    editline,
-    kj,
-    lowdown,
-    ncurses,
-    nlohmann_json,
-  ],
-  # '../..' for self references like "lix/libcmd/*.hh"
-  include_directories : [ '../..' ],
-  cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  install : true,
-  # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
-  install_rpath : libdir,
-)
-
 install_headers(libcmd_headers, subdir : 'lix/libcmd', preserve_path : true)
-
-liblixcmd = declare_dependency(
-  include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-    liblixstore,
-    kj,
-  ],
-  link_with : libcmd,
-)
diff --git a/lix/libexpr/flake/meson.build b/lix/libexpr/flake/meson.build
index cce1b0c75..ee4702767 100644
--- a/lix/libexpr/flake/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libexpr/flake/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-libexpr_generated_headers += custom_target(
+liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
   command : [ 'bash', '-c', 'echo \'R"__NIX_STR(\' | cat - @INPUT@ && echo \')__NIX_STR"\'' ],
   input : 'call-flake.nix',
   output : '@PLAINNAME@.gen.hh',
diff --git a/lix/libexpr/meson.build b/lix/libexpr/meson.build
index 0a66ec83d..0552dff2c 100644
--- a/lix/libexpr/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libexpr/meson.build
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-libexpr_generated_headers = [
+liblix_generated_headers += [
   gen_header.process('primops/derivation.nix', preserve_path_from : meson.current_source_dir()),
 ]
 foreach header : [ 'imported-drv-to-derivation.nix', 'fetchurl.nix' ]
-  libexpr_generated_headers += custom_target(
+  liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
     command : [ 'bash', '-c', 'echo \'R"__NIX_STR(\' | cat - @INPUT@ && echo \')__NIX_STR"\'' ],
     input : header,
     output : '@PLAINNAME@.gen.hh',
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ libexpr_setting_definitions = files(
   'settings/trace-verbose.md',
   # keep-sorted end
 )
-libexpr_settings_header = custom_target(
+liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
   command : [
     python.full_path(),
     '@SOURCE_ROOT@/lix/code-generation/build_settings.py',
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ builtins_gen = custom_target(
     'builtins.md',
   ],
 )
-register_builtins_header = builtins_gen[0]
+liblix_generated_headers += builtins_gen[0]
 builtins_md = builtins_gen[1]
 
 builtin_constant_definitions = files(
@@ -204,10 +204,10 @@ builtin_constants_gen = custom_target(
     'builtin-constants.md',
   ],
 )
-register_builtin_constants_header = builtin_constants_gen[0]
+liblix_generated_headers += builtin_constants_gen[0]
 builtin_constants_md = builtin_constants_gen[1]
 
-libexpr_sources = files(
+liblix_sources += files(
   # keep-sorted start
   'attr-path.cc',
   'attr-set.cc',
@@ -278,49 +278,8 @@ libexpr_headers = files(
   # keep-sorted end
 )
 
-dependencies = [
-  liblixutil,
-  liblixstore,
-  liblixfetchers,
-  boehm,
-  boost,
-  kj,
-  nlohmann_json,
-  toml11,
-]
-
-libexpr = library(
-  'lixexpr',
-  libexpr_sources,
-  libexpr_settings_header,
-  libexpr_generated_headers,
-  register_builtins_header,
-  register_builtin_constants_header,
-  dependencies : dependencies,
-  # for shared.hh
-  include_directories : [
-    '../libmain',
-  ],
-  cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  install : true,
-  # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
-  install_rpath : libdir,
-)
-
 install_headers(
   libexpr_headers,
   subdir : 'lix/libexpr',
   preserve_path : true,
 )
-
-liblixexpr = declare_dependency(
-  include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-  sources : libexpr_settings_header,
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-    liblixfetchers,
-    boehm,
-    boost,
-  ],
-  link_with : libexpr,
-)
diff --git a/lix/libfetchers/meson.build b/lix/libfetchers/meson.build
index 39d66d177..13601766d 100644
--- a/lix/libfetchers/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libfetchers/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-libfetchers_sources = files(
+liblix_sources += files(
   'attrs.cc',
   'cache.cc',
   'fetch-settings.cc',
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ libfetchers_setting_definitions = files(
   'settings/use-registries.md',
   'settings/warn-dirty.md',
 )
-libfetchers_settings_header = custom_target(
+liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
   command : [
     python.full_path(),
     '@SOURCE_ROOT@/lix/code-generation/build_settings.py',
@@ -46,34 +46,4 @@ libfetchers_settings_header = custom_target(
   install_dir : includedir / 'lix/libfetchers',
 )
 
-dependencies = [
-  liblixstore,
-  liblixutil,
-  kj,
-  nlohmann_json,
-]
-
-libfetchers = library(
-  'lixfetchers',
-  libfetchers_settings_header,
-  libfetchers_sources,
-  dependencies : dependencies,
-  include_directories : [ '../..' ],
-  cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  install : true,
-  # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
-  install_rpath : libdir,
-)
-
 install_headers(libfetchers_headers, subdir : 'lix/libfetchers', preserve_path : true)
-
-liblixfetchers = declare_dependency(
-  include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-  sources : libfetchers_settings_header,
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-    liblixstore,
-    kj,
-  ],
-  link_with : libfetchers,
-)
diff --git a/lix/libmain/meson.build b/lix/libmain/meson.build
index 8d64ac9a9..9242204e1 100644
--- a/lix/libmain/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libmain/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-libmain_sources = files(
+liblix_sources += files(
   'common-args.cc',
   'crash-handler.cc',
   'loggers.cc',
@@ -15,29 +15,4 @@ libmain_headers = files(
   'shared.hh',
 )
 
-libmain = library(
-  'lixmain',
-  libmain_sources,
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-    liblixstore,
-    liblixexpr,
-    boost,
-    kj,
-  ],
-  include_directories : [ '../..' ],
-  cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  install : true,
-  # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
-  install_rpath : libdir,
-)
-
 install_headers(libmain_headers, subdir : 'lix/libmain', preserve_path : true)
-
-liblixmain = declare_dependency(
-  include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-  ],
-  link_with : libmain,
-)
diff --git a/lix/libstore/meson.build b/lix/libstore/meson.build
index 9172d2444..40eb42aba 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libstore/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-libstore_generated_headers = []
-libstore_generated_sources = []
 foreach header : [ 'schema.sql' ]
-  libstore_generated_headers += custom_target(
+  liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
     command : [ 'bash', '-c', 'echo \'R"__NIX_STR(\' | cat - @INPUT@ && echo \')__NIX_STR"\'' ],
     input : header,
     output : '@PLAINNAME@.gen.hh',
@@ -41,15 +39,13 @@ subdir('build')
 foreach i : libstore_rpc
   foreach rpc_src : i.to_list()
     if rpc_src.full_path().endswith('.h')
-      libstore_generated_headers += [ rpc_src ]
+      liblix_generated_headers += [ rpc_src ]
     else
-      libstore_generated_sources += [ rpc_src ]
+      liblix_sources += [ rpc_src ]
     endif
   endforeach
 endforeach
 
-libstore_settings_headers = []
-
 file_transfer_setting_definitions = files(
   # keep-sorted start
   'file-transfer-settings/download-attempts.md',
@@ -62,7 +58,7 @@ file_transfer_setting_definitions = files(
   'file-transfer-settings/user-agent-suffix.md',
   # keep-sorted end
 )
-libstore_settings_headers += custom_target(
+liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
   command : [
     python.full_path(),
     '@SOURCE_ROOT@/lix/code-generation/build_settings.py',
@@ -155,7 +151,7 @@ libstore_setting_definitions = files(
   'settings/use-xdg-base-directories.md',
   # keep-sorted end
 )
-libstore_settings_headers += custom_target(
+liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
   command : [
     python.full_path(),
     '@SOURCE_ROOT@/lix/code-generation/build_settings.py',
@@ -170,13 +166,12 @@ libstore_settings_headers += custom_target(
   install_dir : includedir / 'lix/libstore',
 )
 
-libstore_extra_objects = []
 if dtrace_feature.enabled()
-  libstore_settings_headers += dtrace_header_gen.process('trace-probes.d')
-  libstore_extra_objects += dtrace_object_gen.process('trace-probes.d')
+  liblix_generated_headers += dtrace_header_gen.process('trace-probes.d')
+  liblix_sources += dtrace_object_gen.process('trace-probes.d')
 endif
 
-libstore_sources = files(
+liblix_sources += files(
   # keep-sorted start
   'binary-cache-store.cc',
   'build-result.cc',
@@ -317,66 +312,17 @@ libstore_headers = files(
 )
 
 if host_machine.system() == 'linux'
-  libstore_sources += files('platform/linux.cc')
+  liblix_sources += files('platform/linux.cc')
   libstore_headers += files('platform/linux.hh')
 elif host_machine.system() == 'darwin'
-  libstore_sources += files('platform/darwin.cc')
+  liblix_sources += files('platform/darwin.cc')
   libstore_headers += files('platform/darwin.hh')
 elif host_machine.system() == 'freebsd'
-  libstore_sources += files('platform/freebsd.cc')
+  liblix_sources += files('platform/freebsd.cc')
   libstore_headers += files('platform/freebsd.hh')
 else
-  libstore_sources += files('platform/fallback.cc')
+  liblix_sources += files('platform/fallback.cc')
   libstore_headers += files('platform/fallback.hh')
 endif
 
-libstore_generated_headers += embedded_sandbox_headers
-
-dependencies = [
-  liblixutil, # Internal.
-  aws_s3,
-  aws_sdk,
-  aws_sdk_transfer,
-  boost,
-  capnp_rpc,
-  curl,
-  kj,
-  libarchive,
-  nlohmann_json,
-  openssl,
-  seccomp,
-  sqlite,
-]
-
-if host_machine.system() == 'freebsd'
-  dependencies += [ libprocstat ]
-endif
-
-libstore = library(
-  'lixstore',
-  libstore_sources,
-  libstore_generated_sources,
-  libstore_settings_headers,
-  libstore_generated_headers,
-  libstore_extra_objects,
-  include_directories : [ '../..' ],
-  dependencies : dependencies,
-  cpp_args : cpp_args,
-  cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  install : true,
-  # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
-  install_rpath : libdir,
-)
-
 install_headers(libstore_headers, subdir : 'lix/libstore', preserve_path : true)
-
-# Used by libfetchers.
-liblixstore = declare_dependency(
-  include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-  sources : libstore_settings_headers,
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-    kj,
-  ],
-  link_with : libstore,
-)
diff --git a/lix/libstore/platform/darwin.cc b/lix/libstore/platform/darwin.cc
index dacf73023..6b7c3a152 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/platform/darwin.cc
+++ b/lix/libstore/platform/darwin.cc
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #include "lix/libstore/platform/darwin.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/regex.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/strings.hh"
-#include "temporary-dir.hh"
+#include "lix/libstore/temporary-dir.hh"
 
 #include <sys/proc_info.h>
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
diff --git a/lix/libstore/platform/linux.cc b/lix/libstore/platform/linux.cc
index e96afb43b..f6b1fe8ce 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/platform/linux.cc
+++ b/lix/libstore/platform/linux.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#include "build/personality.hh"
+#include "lix/libstore/build/personality.hh"
 #include "lix/libstore/build/worker.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/c-calls.hh"
 #include "lix/libutil/cgroup.hh"
diff --git a/lix/libutil/meson.build b/lix/libutil/meson.build
index f0af2a941..aa2f47ae3 100644
--- a/lix/libutil/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libutil/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-libutil_sources = files(
+liblix_sources += files(
   # keep-sorted start
   'abstract-config.cc',
   'archive.cc',
@@ -209,8 +209,10 @@ experimental_features_gen = custom_target(
     false,
   ],
 )
-experimental_features_header = experimental_features_gen[0]
-experimental_features_impl_header = experimental_features_gen[1]
+liblix_generated_headers += [
+  experimental_features_gen[0],
+  experimental_features_gen[1],
+]
 experimental_features_shortlist_md = experimental_features_gen[2]
 experimental_feature_descriptions_md = experimental_features_gen[3]
 
@@ -240,18 +242,18 @@ deprecated_features_gen = custom_target(
     false
   ],
 )
-deprecated_features_header = deprecated_features_gen[0]
-deprecated_features_impl_header = deprecated_features_gen[1]
+liblix_generated_headers += [
+  deprecated_features_gen[0],
+  deprecated_features_gen[1],
+]
 deprecated_features_shortlist_md = deprecated_features_gen[2]
 deprecated_feature_descriptions_md = deprecated_features_gen[3]
 
-libutil_settings_headers = []
-
 archive_setting_definitions = files(
   'archive-settings/preallocate-contents.md',
   'archive-settings/use-case-hack.md',
 )
-libutil_settings_headers += custom_target(
+liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
   command : [
     python.full_path(),
     '@SOURCE_ROOT@/lix/code-generation/build_settings.py',
@@ -268,7 +270,7 @@ feature_setting_definitions = files(
   'feature-settings/deprecated-features.md',
   'feature-settings/experimental-features.md',
 )
-libutil_settings_headers += custom_target(
+liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
   command : [
     python.full_path(),
     '@SOURCE_ROOT@/lix/code-generation/build_settings.py',
@@ -289,7 +291,7 @@ logging_setting_definitions = files(
   'logging-settings/show-trace.md',
   # keep-sorted end
 )
-libutil_settings_headers += custom_target(
+liblix_generated_headers += custom_target(
   command : [
     python.full_path(),
     '@SOURCE_ROOT@/lix/code-generation/build_settings.py',
@@ -304,9 +306,6 @@ libutil_settings_headers += custom_target(
   install_dir : includedir / 'lix/libutil',
 )
 
-libutil_rpc_headers = []
-libutil_rpc_sources = []
-
 libutil_rpc_schemas = files(
   # keep-sorted start
   'logging.capnp',
@@ -335,65 +334,8 @@ foreach rpc : libutil_rpc_schemas
     depfile : '@PLAINNAME@.d',
   )
 
-  libutil_rpc_headers += rpc[0]
-  libutil_rpc_sources += rpc[1]
+  liblix_generated_headers += rpc[0]
+  liblix_sources += rpc[1]
 endforeach
 
-dependencies = [
-  boost,
-  brotli,
-  cpuid,
-  kj,
-  capnp_rpc,
-  libarchive,
-  nlohmann_json,
-  openssl,
-  libatomic,
-
-  # NOTE: this is secretly rust-monocrate in a trenchcoat.
-  # See that directory's README for more details.
-  liblixutil_rs,
-]
-
-libutil = library(
-  'lixutil',
-  libutil_sources,
-  libutil_rpc_sources,
-  libutil_rpc_headers,
-  experimental_features_header,
-  experimental_features_impl_header,
-  deprecated_features_header,
-  deprecated_features_impl_header,
-  libutil_settings_headers,
-  dependencies : dependencies,
-  include_directories : [ '../..' ],
-  cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  implicit_include_directories : true,
-  install : true,
-)
-
 install_headers(libutil_headers, subdir : 'lix/libutil', preserve_path : true)
-
-# Used by libstore and libfetchers.
-liblixutil = declare_dependency(
-  include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-  sources : [
-    experimental_features_header,
-    deprecated_features_header,
-    libutil_settings_headers,
-    libutil_rpc_headers,
-  ],
-  dependencies: [
-    boost,
-    # Everything has to link to kj if it uses libutil internally (ensured by
-    # lix-base pkg-config externally)
-    kj,
-    capnp_rpc,
-    libarchive,
-    nlohmann_json,
-    libatomic,
-    # This is secretly rust-monocrate + the generated header.
-    liblixutil_rs,
-  ],
-  link_with : libutil
-)
diff --git a/lix/lix.pc.in b/lix/lix.pc.in
index be89d6dc7..04ec1705d 100644
--- a/lix/lix.pc.in
+++ b/lix/lix.pc.in
@@ -9,4 +9,4 @@ Version: @PACKAGE_VERSION@
 Requires: lix-base kj-async @BOEHM_IF_FOUND@
 Requires.private: @AWS_SDK_IF_FOUND@ @BOEHM_IF_FOUND@ libeditline lowdown ncurses libbrotlidec libbrotlienc libcpuid libarchive libcrypto capnp-rpc libcurl libseccomp sqlite3
 Cflags: -I${includedir}
-Libs: -L${libdir} -lrust_monocrate -llixutil -llixstore -llixfetchers -llixexpr -llixmain -llixcmd
+Libs: -L${libdir} -lrust_monocrate -llix
diff --git a/lix/meson.build b/lix/meson.build
index 44dc05fbf..31b06b6c5 100644
--- a/lix/meson.build
+++ b/lix/meson.build
@@ -140,21 +140,16 @@ liblixutil_rs = declare_dependency(
   sources : [libutil_rs_gen_h],
 )
 
-# liblix_doc is actually rust-monocrate in a trenchcoat.
-liblix_doc = declare_dependency(
-  link_with : rust_monocrate,
-)
+# we only collect sources and generated headers here. real headers are collected and
+# installed by each subdir due to how meson generates paths for headers it installs.
+liblix_sources = []
+liblix_generated_headers = embedded_sandbox_headers
 
 subdir('libutil')
-# Load-bearing order. libstore depends on libutil.
 subdir('libstore')
-# libfetchers depends on libstore
 subdir('libfetchers')
-# libexpr depends on all of the above
 subdir('libexpr')
-# libmain depends on libutil and libstore
 subdir('libmain')
-# libcmd depends on everything
 subdir('libcmd')
 
 # libexec utilities should depend only on libutil, but meh.
@@ -176,15 +171,55 @@ foreach lib : [ 'util', 'store', 'fetchers', 'expr', 'main', 'cmd' ]
   )
 endforeach
 
+dependencies = [
+  aws_s3,
+  aws_sdk,
+  aws_sdk_transfer,
+  boehm,
+  boost,
+  brotli,
+  capnp_rpc,
+  cpuid,
+  curl,
+  editline,
+  kj,
+  libarchive,
+  libatomic,
+  lowdown,
+  ncurses,
+  nlohmann_json,
+  openssl,
+  seccomp,
+  sqlite,
+  toml11,
+  # NOTE: this is secretly rust-monocrate in a trenchcoat.
+  # See that directory's README for more details.
+  liblixutil_rs,
+]
+
+if host_machine.system() == 'freebsd'
+  dependencies += [ libprocstat ]
+endif
+
+liblix_all = library(
+  'lix',
+  liblix_sources,
+  liblix_generated_headers,
+  dependencies : dependencies,
+  # `..` makes the `lix/` subtree of the repo available for includes,
+  # mirroring our header directory structure once they are installed.
+  include_directories : [ '..' ],
+  cpp_args : cpp_args,
+  cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
+  install : true,
+  # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
+  install_rpath : libdir,
+)
+
 liblix = declare_dependency(
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-    liblixstore,
-    liblixfetchers,
-    liblixexpr,
-    liblixmain,
-    liblixcmd,
-  ],
+  include_directories : include_directories('..'),
+  dependencies : dependencies,
+  link_with : liblix_all,
 )
 
 meson.override_dependency('lix', liblix)