diff --git a/mu4e/meson.build b/mu4e/meson.build
index ce87468d..a0142bf0 100644
--- a/mu4e/meson.build
+++ b/mu4e/meson.build
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ foreach src : mu4e_bc_srcs
                           '--no-init-file',
                           '--batch',
                           '--directory', meson.current_source_dir(),
+                          '--directory', meson.current_build_dir(),
                           # we don't need warnings for items that have become
                           # obsolete _after_ our last supported emacs release.
                           '--eval', '(setq byte-compile-warnings \'(not obsolete))',