diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index f816283301..3162d0343b 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ perl = find_program(get_option('PERL'), required: true, native: true)
 python = find_program(get_option('PYTHON'), required: true, native: true)
 flex = find_program(get_option('FLEX'), native: true, version: '>= 2.5.35')
 bison = find_program(get_option('BISON'), native: true, version: '>= 2.3')
-sed = find_program(get_option('SED'), 'sed', native: true)
+sed = find_program(get_option('SED'), 'sed', native: true, required: false)
 prove = find_program(get_option('PROVE'), native: true, required: false)
 tar = find_program(get_option('TAR'), native: true)
 gzip = find_program(get_option('GZIP'), native: true)