diff --git a/pythonforandroid/recipe.py b/pythonforandroid/recipe.py
index 3132a5d39d..1d5e3e9104 100644
--- a/pythonforandroid/recipe.py
+++ b/pythonforandroid/recipe.py
@@ -1567,6 +1567,18 @@ def ensure_args(self, *args):
             if arg not in self.extra_build_args:
                 self.extra_build_args.append(arg)
 
+    def get_recipe_env_command(self, command, env):
+        command_path = shutil.which(command, path=env["PATH"])
+        if command_path is None:
+            raise sh.CommandNotFound(command)
+        return sh.Command(command_path)
+
+    def get_meson_command(self, env):
+        return self.get_recipe_env_command("meson", env)
+
+    def get_ninja_command(self, env):
+        return self.get_recipe_env_command("ninja", env)
+
     def build_arch(self, arch):
         cross_file = join("/tmp", "android.meson.cross")
         info("Writing cross file at: {}".format(cross_file))
diff --git a/pythonforandroid/recipes/libcairo/__init__.py b/pythonforandroid/recipes/libcairo/__init__.py
index 14ca37d531..fef4f39ddc 100644
--- a/pythonforandroid/recipes/libcairo/__init__.py
+++ b/pythonforandroid/recipes/libcairo/__init__.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def build_arch(self, arch):
                     _env=env
                 )
 
-            shprint(sh.meson, 'setup', 'builddir',
+            shprint(self.get_meson_command(env), 'setup', 'builddir',
                     '--cross-file', join("/tmp", "android.meson.cross"),
                     f'--prefix={install_dir}',
                     '-Dpng=enabled',
@@ -72,14 +72,22 @@ def build_arch(self, arch):
                     f'-Dfreetype_lib_dir={lib_dir}',
                     _env=env)
 
-            shprint(sh.ninja, '-C', 'builddir', '-j', str(cpu_count()), _env=env)
+            shprint(
+                self.get_ninja_command(env),
+                '-C', 'builddir', '-j', str(cpu_count()),
+                _env=env
+            )
             # macOS fix: sometimes Ninja creates a dummy 'lib' file instead of a directory.
             # So we remove and recreate the install directory using shell commands,
             # since os.remove/os.makedirs behave inconsistently in this build env.
             shprint(sh.rm, '-rf', install_dir)
             shprint(sh.mkdir, install_dir)
 
-            shprint(sh.ninja, '-C', 'builddir', 'install', _env=env)
+            shprint(
+                self.get_ninja_command(env),
+                '-C', 'builddir', 'install',
+                _env=env
+            )
 
 
 recipe = LibCairoRecipe()
diff --git a/pythonforandroid/recipes/libthorvg/__init__.py b/pythonforandroid/recipes/libthorvg/__init__.py
index bb05c37a1f..c9eaefc90f 100644
--- a/pythonforandroid/recipes/libthorvg/__init__.py
+++ b/pythonforandroid/recipes/libthorvg/__init__.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def build_arch(self, arch):
         with current_directory(build_dir):
 
             shprint(
-                sh.meson,
+                self.get_meson_command(env),
                 "setup",
                 "builddir",
                 "--cross-file",
@@ -72,10 +72,18 @@ def build_arch(self, arch):
                 _env=env,
             )
 
-            shprint(sh.ninja, "-C", "builddir", "-j", str(cpu_count()), _env=env)
+            shprint(
+                self.get_ninja_command(env),
+                "-C", "builddir", "-j", str(cpu_count()),
+                _env=env,
+            )
             shprint(sh.rm, "-rf", install_dir)
             shprint(sh.mkdir, install_dir)
-            shprint(sh.ninja, "-C", "builddir", "install", _env=env)
+            shprint(
+                self.get_ninja_command(env),
+                "-C", "builddir", "install",
+                _env=env,
+            )
 
             # copy libomp.so
             arch_map = {
diff --git a/tests/test_recipe.py b/tests/test_recipe.py
index e2e0e9d826..d4e1dc551a 100644
--- a/tests/test_recipe.py
+++ b/tests/test_recipe.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import pytest
+import sh
 import tempfile
 import types
 import unittest
@@ -7,7 +8,9 @@
 from unittest import mock
 
 from pythonforandroid.build import Context
-from pythonforandroid.recipe import Recipe, TargetPythonRecipe, import_recipe
+from pythonforandroid.recipe import (
+    MesonRecipe, Recipe, TargetPythonRecipe, import_recipe
+)
 from pythonforandroid.archs import ArchAarch_64
 from pythonforandroid.bootstrap import Bootstrap
 from tests.test_bootstrap import BaseClassSetupBootstrap
@@ -198,6 +201,33 @@ class DummyTargetPythonRecipe(TargetPythonRecipe):
         assert recipe.major_minor_version_string == '1.2'
 
 
+class TestMesonRecipe(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_get_recipe_env_command_uses_env_path(self):
+        """
+        Meson commands can be installed in the hostpython environment without
+        being visible on the current Python process PATH.
+        """
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+            bin_dir = os.path.join(temp_dir, "bin")
+            os.mkdir(bin_dir)
+            meson_path = os.path.join(bin_dir, "meson")
+            with open(meson_path, "w") as file:
+                file.write("#!/bin/sh\necho fake meson\n")
+            os.chmod(meson_path, 0o755)
+
+            env = {"PATH": bin_dir}
+            recipe = MesonRecipe()
+
+            with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {"PATH": os.devnull}):
+                with pytest.raises(sh.CommandNotFound):
+                    sh.meson("--version", _env=env)
+
+                meson = recipe.get_meson_command(env)
+
+            assert meson("--version").strip() == "fake meson"
+
+
 class TestLibraryRecipe(BaseClassSetupBootstrap, unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         """