diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/java.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/java.py
index 03cc1b078..dbd1f3fda 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/java.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/java.py
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ class JavaCompiler(Compiler):
 
     def compute_parameters_with_absolute_paths(self, parameter_list, build_dir):
         for idx, i in enumerate(parameter_list):
-            if i[:4] == '-cp:' or i[:4] == '-cp;':
-                parameter_list[idx] = i[:4] + os.path.normpath(os.path.join(build_dir, i[4:]))
-            if i[:11] == '-classpath:' or i[:11] == '-classpath;':
-                parameter_list[idx] = i[:11] + os.path.normpath(os.path.join(build_dir, i[11:]))
+            if i in ['-cp', '-classpath', '-sourcepath'] and idx + 1 < len(parameter_list):
+                path_list = parameter_list[idx + 1].replace(';', ':').split(':')
+                path_list = [os.path.normpath(os.path.join(build_dir, x)) for x in path_list]
+                parameter_list[idx + 1] = ':'.join(path_list)
 
         return parameter_list