diff --git a/doc/meson.build b/doc/meson.build
index c3a4a6bb..4955cec8 100644
--- a/doc/meson.build
+++ b/doc/meson.build
@@ -60,19 +60,25 @@ keymap_defaults_txt = custom_target('keymap-defaults.txt',
                install_dir: doc_dir,
                command: [meson.current_source_dir() + '/tools/keys2doc', '@INPUT@', 'keymap-defaults.txt'])
 
-option_command_frag_xml = custom_target('option-command.frag.xml',
+option_command_frag_xml = []
+option_config_frag_xml = []
+option_command_frag_xhtml = []
+option_config_frag_xhtml = []
+
+if not meson.is_cross_build()
+    option_command_frag_xml = custom_target('option-command.frag.xml',
                input: [],
                output: 'option-command.frag.xml',
                env: ['LC_ALL=C', 'LANGUAGE=en'],
                command: [meson.current_source_dir() + '/tools/help2xml', elinks, '@OUTPUT@'])
 
-option_config_frag_xml = custom_target('option-config.frag.xml',
+    option_config_frag_xml = custom_target('option-config.frag.xml',
                input: [],
                output: 'option-config.frag.xml',
                env: ['LC_ALL=C', 'LANGUAGE=en'],
                command: [meson.current_source_dir() + '/tools/help2xml', elinks, '@OUTPUT@'])
 
-option_command_frag_xhtml = custom_target('option-command.frag.xhtml',
+    option_command_frag_xhtml = custom_target('option-command.frag.xhtml',
                input: [],
                output: 'option-command.frag.xhtml',
                env: ['LC_ALL=C', 'LANGUAGE=en'],
@@ -80,11 +86,12 @@ option_command_frag_xhtml = custom_target('option-command.frag.xhtml',
                install_dir: doc_dir,
                command: [meson.current_source_dir() + '/tools/help2xml', elinks, '@OUTPUT@'])
 
-option_config_frag_xhtml = custom_target('option-config.frag.xhtml',
+    option_config_frag_xhtml = custom_target('option-config.frag.xhtml',
                input: [],
                output: 'option-config.frag.xhtml',
                env: ['LC_ALL=C', 'LANGUAGE=en'],
                command: [meson.current_source_dir() + '/tools/help2xml', elinks, '@OUTPUT@'])
+endif
 
 elinks_1_html = custom_target('elinks.1.html',
                 input: 'elinks.1.txt',