diff --git a/buildtools/meson.build b/buildtools/meson.build
index 400b88f251..d886bfb1dc 100644
--- a/buildtools/meson.build
+++ b/buildtools/meson.build
@@ -24,15 +24,20 @@ binutils_avx512_check = (py3 + files('binutils-avx512-check.py') +
 # select library and object file format
 pmdinfo = py3 + files('gen-pmdinfo-cfile.py') + [meson.current_build_dir()]
 pmdinfogen = py3 + files('pmdinfogen.py')
+ar = ''
+if cc.get_id() == 'gcc' or host_machine.system() != 'windows'
+    ar = 'ar'
+else
+    ar = 'llvm-ar'
+endif
+ar_bin = find_program('ar', required: false)
+if ar_bin.found()
+    ar = ar_bin.full_path()
+endif
+pmdinfo += ar
 if host_machine.system() == 'windows'
-    if cc.get_id() == 'gcc'
-        pmdinfo += 'ar'
-    else
-        pmdinfo += 'llvm-ar'
-    endif
     pmdinfogen += 'coff'
 else
-    pmdinfo += 'ar'
     pmdinfogen += 'elf'
 endif
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 937f6110c0..35650ab20d 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ project('DPDK', 'C',
             'default_library=static',
             'warning_level=2',
         ],
-        meson_version: '>= 0.49.2'
+        meson_version: '>= 0.55.0'
 )
 
 # check for developer mode