diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 80a95be067e61728b5c3a9d6413f04f205d89cd5..d1c278b97d5a69a03446374166869cf2d419a1ab 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ if not uring_dep.found()
 endif
 
 numa_dep = dependency('numa')
-emper_dependencies = [thread_dep, uring_dep, numa_dep]
+
+# boost header dependency needed for the circular_buffer used in emper/io/Stats.cpp
+boost_dep = dependency('boost')
+
+emper_dependencies = [thread_dep, uring_dep, numa_dep, boost_dep]
 
 boost_thread_dep = dependency('boost', modules : ['thread'], required: false)