--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ if build_docs or build_gi_docgen
 endif
 subdir('bin')
 
-if host_machine.system() != 'emscripten'
+if host_machine.system() != 'emscripten' and not meson.is_cross_build()
   nm = find_program('nm', required: false)
 
   # Verify .def files for Windows linking (and for macOS too when -Wl,-exported_symbols_list is used).