diff --git a/dockerfiles/bionic.docker b/dockerfiles/bionic.docker
index 7c4b944557f6956acb058147e18b37198e4fda21..0a5f9e589b4d01f183cb18537a50d482d5985ba3 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/bionic.docker
+++ b/dockerfiles/bionic.docker
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get update && \
     apt-get upgrade -y && \
     apt-get dist-upgrade -y && \
-    apt-get install -y sudo wget && \ 
-    apt-get install -y g++ valgrind cppcheck lcov doxygen procmail make git gdb cmake meson ninja-build && \
+    apt-get install -y sudo wget python3-pip && \ 
+    apt-get install -y g++ valgrind cppcheck lcov doxygen procmail make git gdb cmake ninja-build && \
     apt-get install -y libboost-all-dev libxml++2.6-dev && \
     apt-get install -y libldap2-dev libzmq3-dev rpcbind && \
     apt-get install -y libreadline-dev && \
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get install -y vim-common && \
     apt-get install -y netcat-openbsd && \
     useradd -u 30996 msk_jenkins && \
-    ln -sfn /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzmq.so.5 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzmq.so.3
+    ln -sfn /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzmq.so.5 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzmq.so.3 \
+    pip3 install meson
 
 RUN echo "Defaults set_home" >> /etc/sudoers && \
     echo 'Acquire::http::proxy "http://xfelproxy.desy.de:3128/";' > /etc/apt/apt.conf && \
diff --git a/dockerfiles/xenial.docker b/dockerfiles/xenial.docker
index 73319f4517f1d40b44c0af66a50217323e101503..682090725521e48f25806dc447a08e393c873674 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/xenial.docker
+++ b/dockerfiles/xenial.docker
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get update && \
     apt-get upgrade -y && \
     apt-get dist-upgrade -y && \
-    apt-get install -y sudo wget && \
-    apt-get install -y g++ valgrind cppcheck lcov doxygen procmail make git gdb cmake meson/xenial-backports ninja-build && \
+    apt-get install -y sudo wget python3-pip && \
+    apt-get install -y g++ valgrind cppcheck lcov doxygen procmail make git gdb cmake ninja-build && \
     apt-get install -y libboost-all-dev libxml++2.6-dev && \
     apt-get install -y libldap2-dev libzmq3-dev rpcbind && \
     apt-get install -y libreadline-dev && \
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get install -y vim-common && \
     apt-get install -y netcat-openbsd && \
     useradd -u 30996 msk_jenkins && \
-    ln -sfn /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzmq.so.5 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzmq.so.3
+    ln -sfn /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzmq.so.5 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libzmq.so.3 \
+    pip3 install meson
 
 RUN echo "Defaults set_home" >> /etc/sudoers && \
     echo 'Acquire::http::proxy "http://xfelproxy.desy.de:3128/";' > /etc/apt/apt.conf && \