diff --git a/mesonbuild/ast/introspection.py b/mesonbuild/ast/introspection.py
index 5745d298a..fd7b41265 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/ast/introspection.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/ast/introspection.py
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ class IntrospectionInterpreter(AstInterpreter):
         condition_level = node.condition_level if hasattr(node, 'condition_level') else 0
         if isinstance(required, ElementaryNode):
             required = required.value
+        if not isinstance(required, bool):
+            required = False
         self.dependencies += [{
             'name': name,
             'required': required,
diff --git a/run_unittests.py b/run_unittests.py
index 7ceb5538c..bc28eea02 100755
--- a/run_unittests.py
+++ b/run_unittests.py
@@ -3408,7 +3408,7 @@ recommended as it is not supported on some platforms''')
         self.assertDictEqual(buildopts_to_find, {})
 
         # Check buildsystem_files
-        bs_files = ['meson.build', 'sharedlib/meson.build', 'staticlib/meson.build']
+        bs_files = ['meson.build', 'meson_options.txt', 'sharedlib/meson.build', 'staticlib/meson.build']
         bs_files = [os.path.join(testdir, x) for x in bs_files]
         self.assertPathListEqual(list(sorted(res['buildsystem_files'])), list(sorted(bs_files)))
 
@@ -3559,6 +3559,12 @@ recommended as it is not supported on some platforms''')
                 'has_fallback': False,
                 'conditional': False
             },
+            {
+                'name': 'bugDep1',
+                'required': False,
+                'has_fallback': False,
+                'conditional': False
+            },
             {
                 'name': 'somethingthatdoesnotexist',
                 'required': True,
diff --git a/test cases/unit/55 introspection/meson.build b/test cases/unit/55 introspection/meson.build
index 98f6f226f..15eb1ed6d 100644
--- a/test cases/unit/55 introspection/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/unit/55 introspection/meson.build	
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ project('introspection', ['c', 'cpp'], version: '1.2.3', default_options: ['cpp_
 
 dep1 = dependency('threads')
 dep2 = dependency('zlib', required: false)
+dep3 = dependency('bugDep1', required: get_option('test_opt1'))
 
 if false
   dependency('somethingthatdoesnotexist', required: true)
diff --git a/test cases/unit/55 introspection/meson_options.txt b/test cases/unit/55 introspection/meson_options.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b2956c810
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/unit/55 introspection/meson_options.txt	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+option('test_opt1', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'simple boolean flag')