diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/qt4.py b/mesonbuild/modules/qt4.py
index 1c5a0d106..5108baae7 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/qt4.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/qt4.py
@@ -12,26 +12,27 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from .. import dependencies, mlog
 import os, subprocess
+from .. import mlog
 from .. import build
 from ..mesonlib import MesonException
+from ..dependencies import Qt4Dependency
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 
 class Qt4Module():
-    def __init__(self):
-        mlog.log('Detecting Qt tools.')
-        # The binaries have different names on different
-        # distros. Joy.
-        self.moc = dependencies.ExternalProgram('moc-qt4', silent=True)
-        if not self.moc.found():
-            self.moc = dependencies.ExternalProgram('moc', silent=True)
-        self.uic = dependencies.ExternalProgram('uic-qt4', silent=True)
-        if not self.uic.found():
-            self.uic = dependencies.ExternalProgram('uic', silent=True)
-        self.rcc = dependencies.ExternalProgram('rcc-qt4', silent=True)
-        if not self.rcc.found():
-            self.rcc = dependencies.ExternalProgram('rcc', silent=True)
+    tools_detected = False
+
+    def _detect_tools(self, env):
+        if self.tools_detected:
+            return
+        mlog.log('Detecting Qt4 tools')
+        # FIXME: We currently require Qt4 to exist while importing the module.
+        # We should make it gracefully degrade and not create any targets if
+        # the import is marked as 'optional' (not implemented yet)
+        kwargs = {'required': 'true', 'modules': 'Core', 'silent': 'true'}
+        qt4 = Qt4Dependency(env, kwargs)
+        # Get all tools and then make sure that they are the right version
+        self.moc, self.uic, self.rcc = qt4.compilers_detect()
         # Moc, uic and rcc write their version strings to stderr.
         # Moc and rcc return a non-zero result when doing so.
         # What kind of an idiot thought that was a good idea?
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ class Qt4Module():
                      % (' '.join(self.rcc.fullpath), rcc_ver.split()[-1]))
         else:
             mlog.log(' rcc:', mlog.red('NO'))
+        self.tools_detected = True
 
     def parse_qrc(self, state, fname):
         abspath = os.path.join(state.environment.source_dir, state.subdir, fname)
@@ -115,6 +117,7 @@ class Qt4Module():
         if not isinstance(srctmp, list):
             srctmp = [srctmp]
         sources = args[1:] + srctmp
+        self._detect_tools(state.environment)
         err_msg = "{0} sources specified and couldn't find {1}, " \
                   "please check your qt4 installation"
         if len(moc_headers) + len(moc_sources) > 0 and not self.moc.found():
@@ -122,16 +125,18 @@ class Qt4Module():
         if len(rcc_files) > 0:
             if not self.rcc.found():
                 raise MesonException(err_msg.format('RCC', 'rcc-qt4'))
-            rcc_kwargs = {'output' : '@BASENAME@.cpp',
-                          'arguments' : ['@INPUT@', '-o', '@OUTPUT@']}
-            rcc_gen = build.Generator([self.rcc], rcc_kwargs)
-            rcc_output = build.GeneratedList(rcc_gen)
             qrc_deps = []
             for i in rcc_files:
                 qrc_deps += self.parse_qrc(state, i)
-            rcc_output.extra_depends = qrc_deps
-            [rcc_output.add_file(os.path.join(state.subdir, a)) for a in rcc_files]
-            sources.append(rcc_output)
+            basename = os.path.split(rcc_files[0])[1]
+            name = 'qt4-' + basename.replace('.', '_')
+            rcc_kwargs = {'input' : rcc_files,
+                    'output' : name + '.cpp',
+                    'command' : [self.rcc, '-o', '@OUTPUT@', '@INPUT@'],
+                    'depend_files' : qrc_deps,
+                    }
+            res_target = build.CustomTarget(name, state.subdir, rcc_kwargs)
+            sources.append(res_target)
         if len(ui_files) > 0:
             if not self.uic.found():
                 raise MesonException(err_msg.format('UIC', 'uic-qt4'))
diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/qt5.py b/mesonbuild/modules/qt5.py
index 01e9df139..52ad155a4 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/qt5.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/qt5.py
@@ -12,27 +12,27 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from .. import dependencies, mlog
 import os, subprocess
+from .. import mlog
 from .. import build
 from ..mesonlib import MesonException
+from ..dependencies import Qt5Dependency
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 
 class Qt5Module():
+    tools_detected = False
 
-    def __init__(self):
-        mlog.log('Detecting Qt tools.')
-        # The binaries have different names on different
-        # distros. Joy.
-        self.moc = dependencies.ExternalProgram('moc-qt5', silent=True)
-        if not self.moc.found():
-            self.moc = dependencies.ExternalProgram('moc', silent=True)
-        self.uic = dependencies.ExternalProgram('uic-qt5', silent=True)
-        if not self.uic.found():
-            self.uic = dependencies.ExternalProgram('uic', silent=True)
-        self.rcc = dependencies.ExternalProgram('rcc-qt5', silent=True)
-        if not self.rcc.found():
-            self.rcc = dependencies.ExternalProgram('rcc', silent=True)
+    def _detect_tools(self, env):
+        if self.tools_detected:
+            return
+        mlog.log('Detecting Qt5 tools')
+        # FIXME: We currently require Qt5 to exist while importing the module.
+        # We should make it gracefully degrade and not create any targets if
+        # the import is marked as 'optional' (not implemented yet)
+        kwargs = {'required': 'true', 'modules': 'Core', 'silent': 'true'}
+        qt5 = Qt5Dependency(env, kwargs)
+        # Get all tools and then make sure that they are the right version
+        self.moc, self.uic, self.rcc = qt5.compilers_detect()
         # Moc, uic and rcc write their version strings to stderr.
         # Moc and rcc return a non-zero result when doing so.
         # What kind of an idiot thought that was a good idea?
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ class Qt5Module():
                      % (' '.join(self.rcc.fullpath), rcc_ver.split()[-1]))
         else:
             mlog.log(' rcc:', mlog.red('NO'))
+        self.tools_detected = True
 
     def parse_qrc(self, state, fname):
         abspath = os.path.join(state.environment.source_dir, state.subdir, fname)
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ class Qt5Module():
         if not isinstance(srctmp, list):
             srctmp = [srctmp]
         sources = args[1:] + srctmp
+        self._detect_tools(state.environment)
         err_msg = "{0} sources specified and couldn't find {1}, " \
                   "please check your qt5 installation"
         if len(moc_headers) + len(moc_sources) > 0 and not self.moc.found():
@@ -138,9 +140,8 @@ class Qt5Module():
                     'command' : [self.rcc, '-o', '@OUTPUT@', '@INPUT@'],
                     'depend_files' : qrc_deps,
                     }
-            res_target = build.CustomTarget(basename.replace('.', '_'),
-                                            state.subdir,
-                                            rcc_kwargs)
+            name = 'qt5-' + basename.replace('.', '_')
+            res_target = build.CustomTarget(name, state.subdir, rcc_kwargs)
             sources.append(res_target)
         if len(ui_files) > 0:
             if not self.uic.found():
diff --git a/test cases/frameworks/4 qt5/meson.build b/test cases/frameworks/4 qt5/meson.build
index 56720719f..1096c7801 100644
--- a/test cases/frameworks/4 qt5/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/frameworks/4 qt5/meson.build	
@@ -1,41 +1,45 @@
-project('qt5 build test', 'cpp')
+project('qt4 and 5 build test', 'cpp')
 
-qt5 = import('qt5')
-qt5dep = dependency('qt5', modules : ['Core', 'Gui', 'Widgets'])
+foreach qt : ['qt4', 'qt5']
+  qtdep = dependency(qt, modules : ['Core', 'Gui', 'Widgets'], required : qt == 'qt5')
+  if qtdep.found()
+    qtmodule = import(qt)
 
-# The following has two resource files because having two in one target
-# requires you to do it properly or you get linker symbol clashes.
+    # The following has two resource files because having two in one target
+    # requires you to do it properly or you get linker symbol clashes.
 
-prep = qt5.preprocess(
-  moc_headers : ['mainWindow.h'],           # These need to be fed through the moc tool before use. 
-  ui_files : 'mainWindow.ui',               # XML files that need to be compiled with the uic tol.
-  qresources : ['stuff.qrc', 'stuff2.qrc'], # Resource file for rcc compiler.
-)
+    prep = qtmodule.preprocess(
+      moc_headers : ['mainWindow.h'],           # These need to be fed through the moc tool before use. 
+      ui_files : 'mainWindow.ui',               # XML files that need to be compiled with the uic tol.
+      qresources : ['stuff.qrc', 'stuff2.qrc'], # Resource file for rcc compiler.
+    )
 
-q5exe = executable('qt5app',
-  sources : ['main.cpp', 'mainWindow.cpp', # Sources that don't need preprocessing.
-  prep],
-  dependencies : qt5dep)
+    qexe = executable(qt + 'app',
+      sources : ['main.cpp', 'mainWindow.cpp', # Sources that don't need preprocessing.
+      prep],
+      dependencies : qtdep)
 
-# We need a console test application because some test environments
-# do not have an X server.
+    # We need a console test application because some test environments
+    # do not have an X server.
 
-qt5core = dependency('qt5', modules : 'Core')
+    qtcore = dependency(qt, modules : 'Core')
 
-qt5coreapp = executable('q5core', 'q5core.cpp',
-  dependencies : qt5core)
+    qtcoreapp = executable(qt + 'core', 'q5core.cpp',
+      dependencies : qtcore)
 
-test('qt5test', qt5coreapp)
+    test(qt + 'test', qtcoreapp)
 
-# The build system needs to include the cpp files from
-# headers but the user must manually include moc
-# files from sources.
-manpreprocessed = qt5.preprocess(
-  moc_sources : 'manualinclude.cpp',
-  moc_headers : 'manualinclude.h')
+    # The build system needs to include the cpp files from
+    # headers but the user must manually include moc
+    # files from sources.
+    manpreprocessed = qtmodule.preprocess(
+      moc_sources : 'manualinclude.cpp',
+      moc_headers : 'manualinclude.h')
 
-q5maninclude = executable('q5maninclude',
-  sources : ['manualinclude.cpp', manpreprocessed],
-  dependencies : qt5core)
+    qtmaninclude = executable(qt + 'maninclude',
+      sources : ['manualinclude.cpp', manpreprocessed],
+      dependencies : qtcore)
 
-test('q5maninclude', q5maninclude)
+    test(qt + 'maninclude', qtmaninclude)
+  endif
+endforeach