diff --git a/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.build.chroot b/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.build.chroot
index 2c99a67a25..268bdc2ee7 100755
--- a/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.build.chroot
+++ b/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.build.chroot
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ if ((LLVM)) && [[ -n "$SANITIZERS" ]]; then
 fi
 
 MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS="-D mode=developer -D b_sanitize=${SANITIZERS:-none}"
-if ((WIPE)); then
+if ((WIPE)) && [[ -d "$BUILDDIR/meson-private" ]]; then
     MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS="$MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS --wipe"
 fi
 
diff --git a/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos-fedora/mkosi.build.chroot b/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos-fedora/mkosi.build.chroot
index 21f106292b..2b3341ccbd 100755
--- a/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos-fedora/mkosi.build.chroot
+++ b/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos-fedora/mkosi.build.chroot
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ if ((LLVM)) && [[ -n "$SANITIZERS" ]]; then
 fi
 
 MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS="-D mode=developer -D b_sanitize=${SANITIZERS:-none}"
-if ((WIPE)); then
+if ((WIPE)) && [[ -d "$BUILDDIR/meson-private" ]]; then
     MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS="$MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS --wipe"
 fi
 
diff --git a/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.build.chroot b/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.build.chroot
index f1eed03924..1a03dcd956 100755
--- a/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.build.chroot
+++ b/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.build.chroot
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ if ((LLVM)) && [[ -n "$SANITIZERS" ]]; then
 fi
 
 MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS="-D mode=developer -D b_sanitize=${SANITIZERS:-none}"
-if ((WIPE)); then
+if ((WIPE)) && [[ -d "$BUILDDIR/meson-private" ]]; then
     MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS="$MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS --wipe"
 fi
 
diff --git a/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.build.chroot b/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.build.chroot
index 67481d0b10..286fd582a6 100755
--- a/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.build.chroot
+++ b/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.build.chroot
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ if [[ -z "${MKOSI_LDFLAGS// }" ]]; then
 fi
 
 MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS="-D mode=developer -D b_sanitize=${SANITIZERS:-none}"
-if ((WIPE)); then
+if ((WIPE)) && [[ -d "$BUILDDIR/meson-private" ]]; then
     MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS="$MKOSI_MESON_OPTIONS --wipe"
 fi