diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/xdg-desktop-portal/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/xdg-desktop-portal/default.nix
index b5c653d5eac7..f1dea3ab641c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/xdg-desktop-portal/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/xdg-desktop-portal/default.nix
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     ./trash-test.patch
   ];
 
+  # until/unless bubblewrap ships a pkg-config file, meson has no way to find it when cross-compiling.
+  postPatch = ''
+    substituteInPlace meson.build \
+      --replace-fail "find_program('bwrap'"  "find_program('${lib.getExe bubblewrap}'"
+  '';
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [
     docbook_xml_dtd_412
     docbook_xml_dtd_43
@@ -117,8 +123,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     (lib.mesonEnable "systemd" enableSystemd)
   ] ++ lib.optionals (!enableGeoLocation) [
     "-Dgeoclue=disabled"
+  ] ++ lib.optionals (!finalAttrs.finalPackage.doCheck) [
+    "-Dpytest=disabled"
   ];
 
+  strictDeps = true;
+
   doCheck = true;
 
   preCheck = ''