diff --git a/gtkdochelper.py b/gtkdochelper.py
index 16ddf6047..c063bb6d4 100755
--- a/gtkdochelper.py
+++ b/gtkdochelper.py
@@ -27,16 +27,18 @@ parser.add_argument('--headerdir', dest='headerdir')
 parser.add_argument('--mainfile', dest='mainfile')
 parser.add_argument('--modulename', dest='modulename')
 parser.add_argument('--htmlargs', dest='htmlargs', default='')
+parser.add_argument('--scanargs', dest='scanargs', default='')
 
 def build_gtkdoc(source_root, build_root, doc_subdir, src_subdir,
-                 main_file, module, html_args):
+                 main_file, module, html_args, scan_args):
     abs_src = os.path.join(source_root, src_subdir)
     abs_out = os.path.join(build_root, doc_subdir)
     htmldir = os.path.join(abs_out, 'html')
     subprocess.check_call(['gtkdoc-scan',
                            '--module=' + module,
                            '--source-dir=' + abs_src,
-                           '--output-dir=.'], cwd=abs_out)
+                           '--output-dir=.'] + scan_args,
+                          cwd=abs_out)
     if main_file.endswith('sgml'):
         modeflag = '--sgml-mode'
     else:
@@ -78,17 +80,22 @@ def install_gtkdoc(build_root, doc_subdir, install_prefix, datadir, module):
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     options = parser.parse_args(sys.argv[1:])
-    if len(options.htmlargs) >0:
+    if len(options.htmlargs) > 0:
         htmlargs = options.htmlargs.split('@@')
     else:
         htmlargs = []
+    if len(options.scanargs) > 0:
+        scanargs = options.scanargs.split('@@')
+    else:
+        scanargs = []
     build_gtkdoc(options.sourcedir,
                  options.builddir,
                  options.subdir,
                  options.headerdir,
                  options.mainfile,
                  options.modulename,
-                 htmlargs)
+                 htmlargs,
+                 scanargs)
 
     if 'MESON_INSTALL_PREFIX' in os.environ:
         if 'DESTDIR' in os.environ:
diff --git a/modules/gnome.py b/modules/gnome.py
index 9e2b4761e..f126bcf2c 100644
--- a/modules/gnome.py
+++ b/modules/gnome.py
@@ -233,21 +233,26 @@ class GnomeModule:
                 '--headerdir=' + header_dir,
                 '--mainfile=' + main_file,
                 '--modulename=' + modulename]
+        args += self.unpack_args('--htmlargs=', 'html_args', kwargs)
+        args += self.unpack_args('--scanargs=', 'scan_args', kwargs)
+        res = [build.RunTarget(targetname, command, args, state.subdir)]
+        if kwargs.get('install', True):
+            res.append(build.InstallScript([command] + args))
+        return res
+
+    def unpack_args(self, arg, kwarg_name, kwargs):
         try:
-            html_args = kwargs['html_args']
-            if not isinstance(html_args, list):
-                html_args = [html_args]
-            for i in html_args:
+            new_args = kwargs[kwarg_name]
+            if not isinstance(new_args, list):
+                new_args = [new_args]
+            for i in new_args:
                 if not isinstance(i, str):
                     raise MesonException('html_args values must be strings.')
         except KeyError:
-            html_args = []
+            return[]
         if len(html_args) > 0:
-            args.append('--htmlargs=' + '@@'.join(html_args))
-        res = [build.RunTarget(targetname, command, args, state.subdir)]
-        if kwargs.get('install', True):
-            res.append(build.InstallScript([command] + args))
-        return res
+            return ['--htmlargs=' + '@@'.join(new_args)]
+        return []
 
     def gdbus_codegen(self, state, args, kwargs):
         if len(args) != 2: