diff --git a/core/build.bat b/core/build.bat
index 5dd219e9f2..fc4f400bfb 100644
--- a/core/build.bat
+++ b/core/build.bat
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ if "!COMMAND!" == "configure" (
   if "%1" == "--no-tests" (
     meson setup build\!ARCH!\!BUILDTYPE! !STATIC_LIBRARY! --buildtype !BUILDTYPE! -Dkeyman_core_tests=false --werror %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 || exit !errorlevel!
   ) else (
-    meson setup build\!ARCH!\!BUILDTYPE! !STATIC_LIBRARY! --buildtype !BUILDTYPE! --werror %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 || exit !errorlevel!
+    meson setup build\!ARCH!\!BUILDTYPE! !STATIC_LIBRARY! --buildtype !BUILDTYPE! -Dkeyman_core_tests=true --werror %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 || exit !errorlevel!
   )
   shift
 )
diff --git a/core/build.sh b/core/build.sh
index 1c1d337b1c..1defefe13b 100755
--- a/core/build.sh
+++ b/core/build.sh
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ builder_parse "$@"
 # if we don't plan to run them, for example when doing a dependency build
 # in CI
 #
-MESON_OPTION_keyman_core_tests=
+MESON_OPTION_keyman_core_tests="-Dkeyman_core_tests=true"
 BUILD_BAT_keyman_core_tests=
 
 if builder_is_dep_build || builder_has_option --no-tests; then
diff --git a/resources/build/minimum-versions.inc.sh b/resources/build/minimum-versions.inc.sh
index 65778fece8..8f2c19ae3e 100644
--- a/resources/build/minimum-versions.inc.sh
+++ b/resources/build/minimum-versions.inc.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ KEYMAN_MIN_VERSION_NODE_MAJOR=20              # node version source of truth is
 KEYMAN_MIN_VERSION_NPM=10.5.1                 # 10.5.0 has bug, discussed in #10350
 KEYMAN_MIN_VERSION_EMSCRIPTEN=3.1.64          # Use KEYMAN_USE_EMSDK to automatically update to this version
 KEYMAN_MIN_VERSION_VISUAL_STUDIO=2022         # Visual Studio 2022, see /docs/build/windows.md for workloads and components
-KEYMAN_MIN_VERSION_MESON=1.0.0
+KEYMAN_MIN_VERSION_MESON=1.0.0                # TODO: rename meson_options.txt to meson.options when updating to >= 1.1, see #15127.
 
 KEYMAN_VERSION_GRADLE=8.12                    # See /android/KMEA/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties