diff --git a/doc/meson.build b/doc/meson.build
index d803f0f45dda40495852120ad8d0519227c22883..c39a71ca96e6bd896efffad1778c4bdb6df28cb4 100644
--- a/doc/meson.build
+++ b/doc/meson.build
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ if build_doc  # doxygen + html docs
       sphinx_build,
       '-W',
       '-b', 'html',
+      '-d', '.doctrees',
       meson.current_source_dir(),
       '@OUTPUT@',
     ],