diff --git a/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py b/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
index 956ca39cc..a7b23f663 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
@@ -77,6 +77,27 @@ class DependencyMethods(Enum):
     DUB = 'dub'
 
 
+def find_external_program(env: Environment, for_machine: MachineChoice, name: str,
+                          display_name: str, default_names: T.List[str]) -> T.Generator['ExternalProgram', None, None]:
+    """Find an external program, chcking the cross file plus any default options."""
+    # Lookup in cross or machine file.
+    potential_path = env.lookup_binary_entry(for_machine, name)
+    if potential_path is not None:
+        mlog.debug('{} binary for {} specified from cross file, native file, '
+                    'or env var as {}'.format(display_name, for_machine, potential_path))
+        yield ExternalProgram.from_entry(name, potential_path)
+        # We never fallback if the user-specified option is no good, so
+        # stop returning options.
+        return
+    mlog.debug('{} binary missing from cross or native file, or env var undefined.'.format(display_name))
+    # Fallback on hard-coded defaults.
+    # TODO prefix this for the cross case instead of ignoring thing.
+    if env.machines.matches_build_machine(for_machine):
+        for potential_path in default_names:
+            mlog.debug('Trying a default {} fallback at'.format(display_name), potential_path)
+            yield ExternalProgram(potential_path, silent=True)
+
+
 class Dependency:
 
     @classmethod
@@ -353,25 +374,6 @@ class ExternalDependency(Dependency, HasNativeKwarg):
                         raise DependencyException(m.format(self.name, not_found, self.version))
                     return
 
-    # Create an iterator of options
-    def search_tool(self, name, display_name, default_names):
-        # Lookup in cross or machine file.
-        potential_path = self.env.lookup_binary_entry(self.for_machine, name)
-        if potential_path is not None:
-            mlog.debug('{} binary for {} specified from cross file, native file, '
-                       'or env var as {}'.format(display_name, self.for_machine, potential_path))
-            yield ExternalProgram.from_entry(name, potential_path)
-            # We never fallback if the user-specified option is no good, so
-            # stop returning options.
-            return
-        mlog.debug('{} binary missing from cross or native file, or env var undefined.'.format(display_name))
-        # Fallback on hard-coded defaults.
-        # TODO prefix this for the cross case instead of ignoring thing.
-        if self.env.machines.matches_build_machine(self.for_machine):
-            for potential_path in default_names:
-                mlog.debug('Trying a default {} fallback at'.format(display_name), potential_path)
-                yield ExternalProgram(potential_path, silent=True)
-
 
 class NotFoundDependency(Dependency):
     def __init__(self, environment):
@@ -437,7 +439,9 @@ class ConfigToolDependency(ExternalDependency):
         if not isinstance(versions, list) and versions is not None:
             versions = listify(versions)
         best_match = (None, None)
-        for potential_bin in self.search_tool(self.tool_name, self.tool_name, self.tools):
+        for potential_bin in find_external_program(
+                self.env, self.for_machine, self.tool_name,
+                self.tool_name, self.tools):
             if not potential_bin.found():
                 continue
             tool = potential_bin.get_command()
@@ -561,7 +565,7 @@ class PkgConfigDependency(ExternalDependency):
         else:
             assert PkgConfigDependency.class_pkgbin[self.for_machine] is None
             mlog.debug('Pkg-config binary for %s is not cached.' % self.for_machine)
-            for potential_pkgbin in self.search_tool('pkgconfig', 'Pkg-config', environment.default_pkgconfig):
+            for potential_pkgbin in find_external_program(self.env, self.for_machine, 'pkgconfig', 'Pkg-config', environment.default_pkgconfig):
                 mlog.debug('Trying pkg-config binary {} for machine {} at {}'
                            .format(potential_pkgbin.name, self.for_machine, potential_pkgbin.command))
                 version_if_ok = self.check_pkgconfig(potential_pkgbin)
diff --git a/mesonbuild/dependencies/ui.py b/mesonbuild/dependencies/ui.py
index 4b3d6344e..3bba3dc2f 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/dependencies/ui.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/dependencies/ui.py
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ from .base import DependencyException, DependencyMethods
 from .base import ExternalDependency, NonExistingExternalProgram
 from .base import ExtraFrameworkDependency, PkgConfigDependency
 from .base import ConfigToolDependency, DependencyFactory
+from .base import find_external_program
 
 if T.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ..environment import Environment
+    from .base import ExternalProgram
 
 
 class GLDependencySystem(ExternalDependency):
@@ -324,10 +326,9 @@ class QtBaseDependency(ExternalDependency):
             if prefix:
                 self.bindir = os.path.join(prefix, 'bin')
 
-    def search_qmake(self):
+    def search_qmake(self) -> T.Generator['ExternalProgram', None, None]:
         for qmake in ('qmake-' + self.name, 'qmake'):
-            for potential_qmake in self.search_tool(qmake, 'QMake', [qmake]):
-                yield potential_qmake
+            yield from find_external_program(self.env, self.for_machine, qmake, 'QMake', [qmake])
 
     def _qmake_detect(self, mods, kwargs):
         for qmake in self.search_qmake():