diff --git a/gtk/meson.build b/gtk/meson.build
index fa1f7b2908..45309bc180 100644
--- a/gtk/meson.build
+++ b/gtk/meson.build
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@ gtk_deps = [
 ]
 
 if harfbuzz_dep.found() and pangoft_dep.found()
-  gtk_deps += [ harfbuzz_dep, ]
+  gtk_deps += [ harfbuzz_dep, pangoft_dep ]
 endif
 
 if x11_enabled
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 5831dfcbfe..62df80db98 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -313,12 +313,42 @@ cairogobj_dep  = dependency('cairo-gobject', version: cairo_req, required : cc.g
 pango_dep      = dependency('pango', version: pango_req,
                             fallback : ['pango', 'libpango_dep'])
 
-if wayland_enabled or x11_enabled
+# Require PangoFT2 if on X11 or wayland
+require_pangoft2 = wayland_enabled or x11_enabled
+
+if require_pangoft2
   pangoft_dep  = dependency('pangoft2', fallback : ['pango', 'libpangoft2_dep'])
 else
   pangoft_dep  = dependency('pangoft2', required: false)
 endif
 
+if pangoft_dep.found()
+  # Need at least 2.7.1 for FT_Get_Var_Design_Coordinates()
+  # We get the dependency itself from pango, but pango doesn't care
+  # about ft2 version, so an extra check is needed.
+  ft2_dep      = dependency('freetype2', version: '>= 2.7.1', required: require_pangoft2)
+
+  # Fallback case: Look for the FreeType2 headers and library manually when its .pc
+  # file is not available, such as on Visual Studio
+  if not ft2_dep.found()
+    ft2lib = ft2_dep
+    if cc.has_header('ft2build.h')
+      ft2_libnames = ['freetype', 'freetypemt']
+      foreach lib: ft2_libnames
+        if not ft2_dep.found()
+          ft2lib = cc.find_library(lib)
+          # If the FreeType2 library is found, check for FT_Get_Var_Design_Coordinates()
+          if ft2lib.found()
+            if cc.has_function('FT_Get_Var_Design_Coordinates', dependencies: ft2lib)
+              ft2_dep = ft2lib
+            endif
+          endif
+        endif
+      endforeach
+    endif
+  endif
+endif
+
 pangocairo_dep = dependency('pangocairo', version: cairo_req,
                             fallback : ['pango', 'libpangocairo_dep'])
 pixbuf_dep     = dependency('gdk-pixbuf-2.0', version: gdk_pixbuf_req,