diff --git a/build-config/opatIO/meson.build b/build-config/opatIO/meson.build
index 6399b93..01ae467 100644
--- a/build-config/opatIO/meson.build
+++ b/build-config/opatIO/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
-opatio_dep = dependency('opatio', fallback: ['opat-core', 'opatio_dep'])
-picosha2_dep = dependency('picosha2', fallback: ['opat-core', 'picosha2_dep'])
+# Get the subproject object first
+opat_sub = subproject('opat-core')
 
+# Get the dependency variable from that subproject
+opatio_dep = opat_sub.get_variable('opatio_dep')
\ No newline at end of file