diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
index aac2b97bf..a44d02d91 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
@@ -1728,7 +1728,9 @@ external dependencies (including libraries) must go to "dependencies".''')
         vcs_cmd = kwargs['command']
         source_dir = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(self.environment.get_source_dir(), self.subdir))
         if vcs_cmd:
-            vcs_cmd[0] = self.find_program_impl(vcs_cmd[0])
+            maincmd = self.find_program_impl(vcs_cmd[0], required=False)
+            if maincmd.found():
+                vcs_cmd[0] = maincmd
         else:
             vcs = mesonlib.detect_vcs(source_dir)
             if vcs:
diff --git a/test cases/common/66 vcstag/meson.build b/test cases/common/66 vcstag/meson.build
index 256d2e951..520f72aa1 100644
--- a/test cases/common/66 vcstag/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/common/66 vcstag/meson.build	
@@ -9,9 +9,15 @@ output : 'vcstag-custom.c',
 command : ['git', 'show-ref', '-s', 'refs/heads/master'],
 fallback : '1.0.0')
 
+version_src_notfound_fallback = vcs_tag(input : 'vcstag.c.in',
+output : 'vcstag-notfound-fallback.c',
+command : ['git-but-not-found-sorry', 'show-ref', '-s', 'refs/heads/master'],
+fallback : '1.0.0')
+
 version_src_fallback = vcs_tag(input : 'vcstag.c.in',
 output : 'vcstag-fallback.c')
 
 executable('tagprog', 'tagprog.c', version_src)
 executable('tagprog-custom', 'tagprog.c', version_src_custom)
 executable('tagprog-fallback', 'tagprog.c', version_src_fallback)
+executable('tagprog-notfound-fallback', 'tagprog.c', version_src_notfound_fallback)