diff --git a/include/wlr/backend/meson.build b/include/wlr/backend/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e005b854
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/wlr/backend/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+install_headers(
+	'drm.h',
+	'headless.h',
+	'interface.h',
+	'libinput.h',
+	'multi.h',
+	'session.h',
+	'wayland.h',
+	subdir: 'wlr/backend',
+)
+
+if conf_data.get('WLR_HAS_X11_BACKEND', false)
+	install_headers('x11.h', subdir: 'wlr/backend')
+endif
+
+subdir('session')
diff --git a/include/wlr/backend/session/meson.build b/include/wlr/backend/session/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..21b5a96b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/wlr/backend/session/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+install_headers('interface.h', subdir: 'wlr/backend/session')
diff --git a/include/wlr/interfaces/meson.build b/include/wlr/interfaces/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..207896b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/wlr/interfaces/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+install_headers(
+	'wlr_input_device.h',
+	'wlr_keyboard.h',
+	'wlr_output.h',
+	'wlr_pointer.h',
+	'wlr_tablet_pad.h',
+	'wlr_tablet_tool.h',
+	'wlr_touch.h',
+	subdir: 'wlr/interfaces',
+)
diff --git a/include/wlr/meson.build b/include/wlr/meson.build
index 6259c311..14551cb4 100644
--- a/include/wlr/meson.build
+++ b/include/wlr/meson.build
@@ -9,6 +9,19 @@ version_data.set('WLR_VERSION_API_CURRENT',  so_version[0])
 version_data.set('WLR_VERSION_API_REVISION', so_version[1])
 version_data.set('WLR_VERSION_API_AGE',      so_version[2])
 
-wlr_inc_dest = join_paths(get_option('includedir'), 'wlr')
-configure_file(output: 'config.h',  install_dir: wlr_inc_dest, configuration: conf_data)
-configure_file(output: 'version.h', install_dir: wlr_inc_dest, configuration: version_data)
+install_headers(
+	configure_file(output: 'config.h',  configuration: conf_data),
+	configure_file(output: 'version.h', configuration: version_data),
+	'backend.h',
+	'xcursor.h',
+	subdir: 'wlr'
+)
+if conf_data.get('WLR_HAS_XWAYLAND', false)
+	install_headers('xwayland.h', subdir: 'wlr')
+endif
+
+subdir('backend')
+subdir('interfaces')
+subdir('render')
+subdir('types')
+subdir('util')
diff --git a/include/wlr/render/meson.build b/include/wlr/render/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..05127bb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/wlr/render/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+install_headers(
+	'dmabuf.h',
+	'egl.h',
+	'gles2.h',
+	'interface.h',
+	'wlr_renderer.h',
+	'wlr_texture.h',
+	subdir: 'wlr/render'
+)
diff --git a/include/wlr/types/meson.build b/include/wlr/types/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c81cb0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/wlr/types/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+install_headers(
+	'wlr_box.h',
+	'wlr_buffer.h',
+	'wlr_compositor.h',
+	'wlr_cursor.h',
+	'wlr_data_device.h',
+	'wlr_export_dmabuf_v1.h',
+	'wlr_gamma_control.h',
+	'wlr_gamma_control_v1.h',
+	'wlr_idle.h',
+	'wlr_idle_inhibit_v1.h',
+	'wlr_input_device.h',
+	'wlr_input_inhibitor.h',
+	'wlr_keyboard.h',
+	'wlr_layer_shell.h',
+	'wlr_linux_dmabuf_v1.h',
+	'wlr_list.h',
+	'wlr_matrix.h',
+	'wlr_output.h',
+	'wlr_output_damage.h',
+	'wlr_output_layout.h',
+	'wlr_pointer.h',
+	'wlr_primary_selection.h',
+	'wlr_region.h',
+	'wlr_screencopy_v1.h',
+	'wlr_screenshooter.h',
+	'wlr_seat.h',
+	'wlr_server_decoration.h',
+	'wlr_surface.h',
+	'wlr_tablet_pad.h',
+	'wlr_tablet_tool.h',
+	'wlr_tablet_v2.h',
+	'wlr_touch.h',
+	'wlr_virtual_keyboard_v1.h',
+	'wlr_wl_shell.h',
+	'wlr_xcursor_manager.h',
+	'wlr_xdg_decoration_v1.h',
+	'wlr_xdg_output.h',
+	'wlr_xdg_shell.h',
+	'wlr_xdg_shell_v6.h',
+	subdir: 'wlr/types',
+)
diff --git a/include/wlr/util/meson.build b/include/wlr/util/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ee72cbd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/wlr/util/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+install_headers(
+	'edges.h',
+	'log.h',
+	'region.h',
+	subdir: 'wlr/util',
+)
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d31296f7..06605189 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ libcap         = dependency('libcap', required: get_option('libcap'))
 logind         = dependency('lib' + get_option('logind-provider'), required: get_option('logind'))
 math           = cc.find_library('m', required: false)
 
-exclude_headers = []
 wlr_parts = []
 wlr_deps = []
 
@@ -78,18 +77,14 @@ endif
 
 subdir('protocol')
 subdir('render')
-subdir('backend')
-subdir('xwayland')
-
-includedir = get_option('includedir')
-exclude_headers += 'meson.build'
-install_subdir('include/wlr', install_dir: includedir, exclude_files: exclude_headers)
 
-
-subdir('include')
+subdir('backend')
 subdir('types')
 subdir('util')
 subdir('xcursor')
+subdir('xwayland')
+
+subdir('include')
 
 wlr_parts += [
 	lib_wl_protos,
diff --git a/xwayland/meson.build b/xwayland/meson.build
index 637f565e..0bd88924 100644
--- a/xwayland/meson.build
+++ b/xwayland/meson.build
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ xwayland_optional = [
 foreach lib : xwayland_required
 	dep = dependency(lib, required: get_option('xwayland'))
 	if not dep.found()
-		exclude_headers += 'xwayland.h'
 		subdir_done()
 	endif