diff --git i/demos/gtk-demo/meson.build w/demos/gtk-demo/meson.build
index 5b79dfad5f..7f82c2d6d6 100644
--- i/demos/gtk-demo/meson.build
+++ w/demos/gtk-demo/meson.build
@@ -174,42 +174,46 @@ if build_machine.system() == 'linux' and objcopy.found() and objcopy_supports_ad
       depfile : 'gtkdemo.gresource.d',
       command : [glib_compile_resources,
                  '--generate',
+                 '--internal',
                  '--target=@OUTPUT@',
                  '--dependency-file=@DEPFILE@',
                  '--sourcedir=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
                  '--sourcedir=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
                  '@INPUT@'])
 
   # Create resource data file
   gtkdemo_resources_c = custom_target('gtkdemo_resources.c',
       input : 'demo.gresource.xml',
       output : 'gtkdemo_resources.c',
       depfile : 'gtkdemo_resources.c.d',
       command : [glib_compile_resources,
                  '--generate-source',
+                 '--internal',
                  '--target=@OUTPUT@',
                  '--dependency-file=@DEPFILE@',
                  '--sourcedir=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
                  '--sourcedir=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
                  '--external-data',
                  '--c-name', '_g_binary_gtkdemo',
                  '@INPUT@'])
 
   # Create object file containing resource data
   gtkdemo_resources_binary = custom_target('gtkdemo_resources.o',
       input : gtkdemo_gresource,
       output : 'gtkdemo_resources.o',
       command : [ld,
+                 '-z', 'noexecstack',
                  '-r',
                  '-b','binary',
                  '@INPUT@',
                  '-o','@OUTPUT@'])
 
   # Rename symbol to match the one in the C file
   gtkdemo_resources_o = custom_target('gtkdemo_resources2.o',
     input : gtkdemo_resources_binary,
     output : 'gtkdemo_resources2.o',
     command : [objcopy,
+                 '--strip-all',
                  '--add-symbol','_g_binary_gtkdemo_resource_data=.data:0',
                  '@INPUT@',
                  '@OUTPUT@'])
diff --git i/demos/widget-factory/meson.build w/demos/widget-factory/meson.build
index 800230b512..9a083eb1ac 100644
--- i/demos/widget-factory/meson.build
+++ w/demos/widget-factory/meson.build
@@ -18,42 +18,46 @@ if build_machine.system() == 'linux' and objcopy.found() and objcopy_supports_ad
       depfile: 'widgetfactory.gresource.d',
       command : [glib_compile_resources,
                  '--generate',
+                 '--internal',
                  '--target=@OUTPUT@',
                  '--dependency-file=@DEPFILE@',
                  '--sourcedir=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
                  '--sourcedir=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
                  '@INPUT@'])
 
   # Create resource data file
   widgetfactory_resources_c = custom_target('widgetfactory_resources.c',
       input : 'widget-factory.gresource.xml',
       output : 'widgetfactory_resources.c',
       depfile: 'widgetfactory_resources.c.d',
       command : [glib_compile_resources,
                  '--generate-source',
+                 '--internal',
                  '--target=@OUTPUT@',
                  '--dependency-file=@DEPFILE@',
                  '--sourcedir=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
                  '--sourcedir=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
                  '--external-data',
                  '--c-name', '_g_binary_widgetfactory',
                  '@INPUT@'])
 
   # Create object file containing resource data
   widgetfactory_resources_binary = custom_target('widgetfactory_resources.o',
       input : widgetfactory_gresource,
       output : 'widgetfactory_resources.o',
       command : [ld,
+                 '-z', 'noexecstack',
                  '-r',
                  '-b','binary',
                  '@INPUT@',
                  '-o','@OUTPUT@'])
 
   # Rename symbol to match the one in the C file
   widgetfactory_resources_o = custom_target('widgetfactory_resources2.o',
     input : widgetfactory_resources_binary,
     output : 'widgetfactory_resources2.o',
     command : [objcopy,
+                 '--strip-all',
                  '--add-symbol','_g_binary_widgetfactory_resource_data=.data:0',
                  '@INPUT@',
                  '@OUTPUT@'])