diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index fd8ca79..c874e19 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -341,13 +341,11 @@ if get_option('experimental')
     add_project_arguments('-DUSE_EXPERIMENTAL', language: 'cpp')
 endif
 
-cava = compiler.find_library('cava',
-                             required: get_option('cava'))
-if not cava.found() and not get_option('cava').disabled()
-   cava = dependency('cava',
-                     required: false,
-                     fallback: [ 'cava', 'cava_dep' ])
-endif
+cava = dependency('cava',
+                  version : '>=0.8.4',
+                  required: get_option('cava'),
+                  fallback : ['cava', 'cava_dep'],
+                  not_found_message: 'cava is not found. Building waybar without cava')
 
 if cava.found()
    add_project_arguments('-DHAVE_LIBCAVA', language: 'cpp')
diff --git a/subprojects/cava.wrap b/subprojects/cava.wrap
index 95a9c8f..59044b1 100644
--- a/subprojects/cava.wrap
+++ b/subprojects/cava.wrap
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [wrap-file]
-directory = cava-0.8.3
-source_url = https://github.com/LukashonakV/cava/archive/0.8.3.tar.gz
-source_filename = cava-0.8.3.tar.gz
-source_hash = 10f9ec910682102c47dc39d684fd3fc90d38a4d1c2e5a310f132f70ad0e00850
+directory = cava-0.8.4
+source_url = https://github.com/LukashonakV/cava/archive/0.8.4.tar.gz
+source_filename = cava-0.8.4.tar.gz
+source_hash = 523353f446570277d40b8e1efb84468d70fdec53e1356a555c14bf466557a3ed
 [provide]
 cava = cava_dep