diff --git a/docs/markdown/snippets/embed_directories.md b/docs/markdown/snippets/embed_directories.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a099cf4e975f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/markdown/snippets/embed_directories.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+## BuildTarget now has an `embed_directories` keyword argument
+
+This provides an include_directories like path for `--embed`.
diff --git a/docs/yaml/functions/_build_target_base.yaml b/docs/yaml/functions/_build_target_base.yaml
index c2c4552e9fa1..c81dfafbc07d 100644
--- a/docs/yaml/functions/_build_target_base.yaml
+++ b/docs/yaml/functions/_build_target_base.yaml
@@ -84,6 +84,14 @@ kwargs:
 
       These may only be static sources.
 
+  embed_directories:
+    type: array[inc | str]
+    since: 1.13.0
+    description: |
+      one or more objects created with the [[include_directories]] function, or
+      strings, which will be implicitly convert to [[@inc]] objects, that is
+      used for the #embed.
+
   gui_app:
     type: bool
     deprecated: 0.56.0
diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
index d0ff82375062..0cfb59169995 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
@@ -3176,6 +3176,12 @@ def _generate_single_compile_target_args(self, target: build.BuildTarget, compil
                 commands += bargs
             for d in i.extra_build_dirs:
                 commands += compiler.get_include_args(d, i.is_system)
+
+        # Add any embed search dir arguments
+        for i in target.embed_dirs:
+            for incdir in i.rel_string_list(self.build_to_src, self.build_dir):
+                commands.extend(compiler.get_embed_args(incdir))
+
         # Add per-target compile args, f.ex, `c_args : ['-DFOO']`. We set these
         # near the end since these are supposed to override everything else.
         commands += self.escape_extra_args(target.get_extra_args(compiler.get_language()))
diff --git a/mesonbuild/build.py b/mesonbuild/build.py
index d9fa10414f6d..0510d35ea276 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/build.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/build.py
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ class BuildTargetKeywordArguments(TypedDict, total=False):
         d_unittest: bool
         dependencies: T.List[dependencies.Dependency]
         depend_files: T.List[File]
+        embed_directories: list[IncludeDirs]
         extra_files: T.List[File]
         gnu_symbol_visibility: Literal['default', 'internal', 'hidden', 'protected', 'inlineshidden', '']
         implicit_include_directories: bool
@@ -819,6 +820,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.structured_sources = structured_sources
         self.external_deps: T.List[dependencies.Dependency] = []
         self.include_dirs: T.List['IncludeDirs'] = []
+        self.embed_dirs = kwargs['embed_directories'].copy()
         self.link_language: T.Optional[Language] = kwargs.get('link_language')
         self.link_targets: T.List[LinkableTargetTypes] = []
         self.link_whole_targets: T.List[StaticTargetTypes] = []
@@ -1543,6 +1545,7 @@ def add_deps(self, deps: T.List[dependencies.Dependency]) -> None:
                 self.process_sourcelist(dep.sources)
                 self.extra_files.extend(f for f in dep.extra_files if f not in self.extra_files)
                 self.add_include_dirs(dep.include_directories, dep.get_include_type())
+                self.embed_dirs.extend(dep.embed_directories)
                 self.objects.extend(dep.objects)
                 self.link_targets.extend(dep.libraries)
                 self.link_whole_targets.extend(dep.whole_libraries)
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
index 2d88082beb80..19a32d9e4297 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
@@ -279,6 +279,10 @@ def get_option_link_args(self, target: 'BuildTarget', subproject: T.Optional[str
     def get_pch_use_args(self, pch_dir: str, header: str) -> T.List[str]:
         return ['-fpch-preprocess', '-include', os.path.basename(header)]
 
+    def get_embed_args(self, path: str) -> list[str]:
+        # Requires C23 or C++26 standard and GCC 15
+        return [f'--embed-dir={path}']
+
 
 class PGICCompiler(PGICompiler, CCompiler):
     def __init__(self, ccache: T.List[str], exelist: T.List[str], version: str, for_machine: MachineChoice,
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
index 1ba9d91d67a8..7519367e6d8d 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
@@ -1704,3 +1704,7 @@ def get_crt_static(self) -> bool:
     def get_target_libdir(self) -> str:
         """Where is the libdir for the current machine located"""
         raise EnvironmentException(f'{self.get_id()} does not support Rust target libdir')
+
+    def get_embed_args(self, path: str) -> list[str]:
+        """Format arguments for C and C++ #embed statements."""
+        raise EnvironmentException(f'{self.get_id()} does not support embed search paths')
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
index 41915038a2b8..e2f6356dc624 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
@@ -550,6 +550,10 @@ def get_pch_use_args(self, pch_dir: str, header: str) -> T.List[str]:
     def get_cpp_modules_args(self) -> T.List[str]:
         return ['-fmodules', '-fmodules-ts']
 
+    def get_embed_args(self, path: str) -> list[str]:
+        # Requires C23 or C++26 standard and GCC 15
+        return [f'--embed-dir={path}']
+
 
 class PGICPPCompiler(PGICompiler, CPPCompiler):
     def __init__(self, ccache: T.List[str], exelist: T.List[str], version: str, for_machine: MachineChoice,
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/mixins/clang.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/mixins/clang.py
index 69d29b70f1bc..0caa2fab98f1 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/mixins/clang.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/mixins/clang.py
@@ -249,6 +249,11 @@ def get_lto_link_args(self, *, target: T.Optional[BuildTarget] = None, threads:
             args.append(f'-flto-jobs={threads}')
         return args
 
+    def get_embed_args(self, path: str) -> list[str]:
+        # Requires C23 or C++26 standard and Clang 19
+        # Is not currently supported by AppleClang
+        return [f'--embed-dir={path}']
+
 
 class ClangCStds(CompilerMixinBase):
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py b/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
index 99cdfa2667d5..04c2dc4cddbb 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ class InternalDependency(Dependency):
     type_name = DependencyTypeName('internal')
 
     def __init__(self, version: str, incdirs: T.Optional[T.List['IncludeDirs']] = None,
+                 embed_dirs: list[IncludeDirs] | None = None,
                  compile_args: T.Optional[T.List[str]] = None,
                  link_args: T.Optional[T.List[str]] = None,
                  libraries: T.Optional[T.List[LinkableTargetTypes]] = None,
@@ -322,6 +323,7 @@ def __init__(self, version: str, incdirs: T.Optional[T.List['IncludeDirs']] = No
         self.version = version
         self.is_found = True
         self.include_directories = incdirs or []
+        self.embed_directories = embed_dirs or []
         self.compile_args = compile_args or []
         self.link_args = link_args or []
         self.libraries = libraries or []
@@ -370,11 +372,12 @@ def get_partial_dependency(self, *, compile_args: bool = False,
         final_sources = self.sources.copy() if sources else []
         final_extra_files = self.extra_files.copy() if extra_files else []
         final_includes = self.include_directories.copy() if includes else []
+        final_embed = self.embed_directories.copy() if includes else []
         final_deps = [d.get_partial_dependency(
             compile_args=compile_args, link_args=link_args, links=links,
             includes=includes, sources=sources) for d in self.ext_deps]
         return type(self)(
-            self.version, final_includes, final_compile_args,
+            self.version, final_includes, final_embed, final_compile_args,
             final_link_args, final_libraries, final_whole_libraries,
             final_sources, final_extra_files, final_deps, self.variables, [], [], [], self.name)
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
index f4cb0b6531f5..da70fd523ce3 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/interpreter.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
     ENV_KW,
     ENV_METHOD_KW,
     ENV_SEPARATOR_KW,
+    EMBED_DIRECTORIES,
     INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES,
     INSTALL_KW,
     INSTALL_DIR_KW,
@@ -725,6 +726,7 @@ def func_files(self, node: mparser.FunctionNode, args: T.Tuple[T.List[str]], kwa
         KwargInfo('compile_args', ContainerTypeInfo(list, str), listify=True, default=[]),
         INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES.evolve(name='d_import_dirs', since='0.62.0'),
         D_MODULE_VERSIONS_KW.evolve(since='0.62.0'),
+        EMBED_DIRECTORIES,
         LINK_ARGS_KW,
         DEPENDENCIES_KW,
         INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES.evolve(since_values={ContainerTypeInfo(list, str): '0.50.0'}),
@@ -740,6 +742,7 @@ def func_declare_dependency(self, node: mparser.BaseNode, args: T.List[TYPE_var]
                                 kwargs: kwtypes.FuncDeclareDependency) -> dependencies.Dependency:
         deps = kwargs['dependencies']
         incs = self.extract_incdirs(kwargs['include_directories'])
+        embed_directories = self.extract_incdirs(kwargs['embed_directories'])
         libs = kwargs['link_with']
         libs_whole = kwargs['link_whole']
         objects = kwargs['objects']
@@ -766,7 +769,7 @@ def func_declare_dependency(self, node: mparser.BaseNode, args: T.List[TYPE_var]
                     and os.path.isdir(v):
                 variables[k] = P_OBJ.DependencyVariableString(v)
 
-        dep = dependencies.InternalDependency(version, incs, compile_args,
+        dep = dependencies.InternalDependency(version, incs, embed_directories, compile_args,
                                               link_args, libs, libs_whole, sources, extra_files,
                                               deps, variables, d_module_versions, d_import_dirs,
                                               objects)
@@ -3693,6 +3696,7 @@ def __convert_build_target_base_kwargs(self, kwargs: kwtypes.BuildTarget, final:
 
         # Convert into IncludeDirs objects
         final['include_directories'] = self.extract_incdirs(kwargs['include_directories'])
+        final['embed_directories'] = self.extract_incdirs(kwargs['embed_directories'])
         final['d_import_dirs'] = self.extract_incdirs(kwargs['d_import_dirs'], True)
 
         # Convert language arguments
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/kwargs.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/kwargs.py
index 37ac74f713d9..003aad6ae2bb 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/kwargs.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/kwargs.py
@@ -403,6 +403,7 @@ class BuildTarget(BaseBuildTarget):
     d_import_dirs: T.List[T.Union[str, build.IncludeDirs]]
     d_module_versions: T.List[T.Union[str, int]]
     d_unittest: bool
+    embed_directories: list[str | build.IncludeDirs]
     install_dir: T.List[T.Union[str, bool]]
     install_vala_header: T.Union[str, bool, None]
     install_vala_vapi: T.Union[str, bool, None]
@@ -540,6 +541,7 @@ class FuncDeclareDependency(TypedDict):
     d_import_dirs: T.List[T.Union[build.IncludeDirs, str]]
     d_module_versions: T.List[T.Union[str, int]]
     dependencies: T.List[Dependency]
+    embed_directories: list[str | build.IncludeDirs]
     extra_files: T.List[FileOrString]
     include_directories: T.List[T.Union[build.IncludeDirs, str]]
     link_args: T.List[str]
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
index 5d9e3f1a1ac1..2a0fd480da5b 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
@@ -419,6 +419,11 @@ def _local_program_convertor(raw: T.List[T.Union[str, File, BuildTarget, Generat
     default=[],
 )
 
+EMBED_DIRECTORIES = INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES.evolve(
+    name='embed_directories',
+    since='1.13.0',
+)
+
 def _default_options_convertor(raw: T.Union[str, T.List[str], T.Dict[str, ElementaryOptionValues]]) -> T.Dict[OptionKey, ElementaryOptionValues]:
     d = _override_options_convertor(raw)
     return {OptionKey.from_string(k): v for k, v in d.items()}
@@ -577,7 +582,7 @@ def suite_convertor(suite: T.List[str]) -> T.List[str]:
     default=[],
 )
 
-_LANGUAGE_KWS: T.List[KwargInfo[T.List[str]]] = [
+_LANGUAGE_KWS: T.List[KwargInfo[T.List[str | File]]] = [
     _BASE_LANG_KW.evolve(name=f'{lang}_args')
     for lang in compilers.all_languages - {'rust', 'vala', 'java'}
 ]
@@ -587,7 +592,7 @@ def suite_convertor(suite: T.List[str]) -> T.List[str]:
 _LANGUAGE_KWS.append(_BASE_LANG_KW.evolve(name='rust_args', since='0.41.0'))
 
 # We need this deprecated values more than the non-deprecated values. So we'll evolve them out elsewhere.
-_JAVA_LANG_KW: KwargInfo[T.List[str]] = _BASE_LANG_KW.evolve(
+_JAVA_LANG_KW: KwargInfo[T.List[str | File]] = _BASE_LANG_KW.evolve(
     name='java_args',
     deprecated='1.3.0',
     deprecated_message='This does not, and never has, done anything. It should be removed'
@@ -781,6 +786,7 @@ def _pch_convertor(args: T.List[str]) -> T.Optional[T.Tuple[str, T.Optional[str]
     *_LANGUAGE_KWS,
     BT_SOURCES_KW,
     INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES.evolve(name='d_import_dirs'),
+    EMBED_DIRECTORIES,
     LINK_ARGS_KW,
     LINK_WHOLE_KW.evolve(
         as_default=[('', ('1.11.0', "Replace an empty string with an empty array: `link_whole : ''` -> `link_whole : []`"))],
@@ -1010,7 +1016,7 @@ def _shortname_validator(shortname: T.Optional[str]) -> T.Optional[str]:
       for a in _LANGUAGE_KWS],
 ]
 
-_SHARED_STATIC_ARGS: T.List[KwargInfo[T.List[str]]] = [
+_SHARED_STATIC_ARGS: T.List[KwargInfo[T.List[str | File]]] = [
     *[l.evolve(name=l.name.replace('_', '_static_'), since='1.3.0')
       for l in _LANGUAGE_KWS],
     *[l.evolve(name=l.name.replace('_', '_shared_'), since='1.3.0')
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreterbase/decorators.py b/mesonbuild/interpreterbase/decorators.py
index ad5f17e263c6..bfd7cc24afcd 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreterbase/decorators.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreterbase/decorators.py
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ def evolve(self, *,
                convertor: T.Union[T.Callable[[_T], object], None, _NULL_T] = _NULL,
                extra_types: T.Union[T.Mapping[T.Type, T.Callable[[object], str]], None, _NULL_T] = _NULL,
                as_default: T.Union[T.List[T.Tuple[object, T.Union[str, T.Tuple[str, str]]]], None, _NULL_T] = _NULL
-               ) -> 'KwargInfo':
+               ) -> 'KwargInfo[_T]':
         """Create a shallow copy of this KwargInfo, with modifications.
 
         This allows us to create a new copy of a KwargInfo with modifications.
diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/external_project.py b/mesonbuild/modules/external_project.py
index a800f961d57d..a45b2c3459b8 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/external_project.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/external_project.py
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ def dependency_method(self, state: 'ModuleState', args: T.Tuple[str], kwargs: 'D
         compile_args = [f'-I{abs_includedir}']
         link_args = [f'-L{abs_libdir}', f'-l{libname}']
         sources = self.target
-        dep = InternalDependency(version, [], compile_args, link_args, [],
+        dep = InternalDependency(version, [], [], compile_args, link_args, [],
                                  [], [sources], [], [], {}, [], [], [])
         return dep
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/gnome.py b/mesonbuild/modules/gnome.py
index 3776d3927f30..304407d4e190 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/gnome.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/gnome.py
@@ -2324,7 +2324,7 @@ def generate_vapi(self, state: 'ModuleState', args: T.Tuple[str], kwargs: 'Gener
         incs = [build.IncludeDirs(state.subdir, ['.'] + vapi_includes, False,
                 state.current_build_project)]
         sources = [vapi_target] + vapi_depends
-        rv = InternalDependency(None, incs, [], [], link_with, [], sources, [], [], {}, [], [], [])
+        rv = InternalDependency(None, incs, [], [], [], link_with, [], sources, [], [], {}, [], [], [])
         created_values.append(rv)
         return ModuleReturnValue(rv, created_values)
 
diff --git a/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/embed/data.txt b/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/embed/data.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8ab686eafeb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/embed/data.txt	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Hello, World!
diff --git a/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/main.c b/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..32506fca7441
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/main.c	
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ * Copyright © 2026 Intel Corporation
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+const char msg[] =
+{
+#embed "data.txt"
+};
+
+const char expected[] = {
+    'H', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', ',', ' ', 'W', 'o', 'r', 'l', 'd', '!', '\n',
+};
+
+
+int main(void) {
+    const int num_found = sizeof(msg) / sizeof(msg[0]);
+    const int num_expected = sizeof(expected) / sizeof(expected[0]);
+
+    if (num_found != num_expected) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "The number of found arguments (%d) does not match the expected(%d)\n", num_found, num_expected);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_found; ++i) {
+        if (msg[i] != expected[i]) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "The items at index %d does not match: found: %c, expected: %c\n", i, msg[i], expected[i]);
+            return 1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/main.cpp b/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/main.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e0bcaf0f38dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/main.cpp	
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ * Copyright © 2026 Intel Corporation
+ */
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+constexpr char msg[] =
+{
+#embed "data.txt"
+};
+
+constexpr char expected[] = {
+    'H', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', ',', ' ', 'W', 'o', 'r', 'l', 'd', '!', '\n',
+};
+
+
+int main(void) {
+    constexpr int num_found = sizeof(msg) / sizeof(msg[0]);
+    constexpr int num_expected = sizeof(expected) / sizeof(expected[0]);
+
+    if (num_found != num_expected) {
+        std::cerr << "The number of found arguments (" << num_found << ") does not match the expected (" << num_expected << ")\n";
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_found; ++i) {
+        if (msg[i] != expected[i]) {
+            std::cerr << "The items at index " << i << "does not match: found: " << msg[i] << "expected: " << expected[i] << "\n";
+            return 1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/meson.build b/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..826c194fa039
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/300 embed dirs/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# Copyright © 2026 Intel Corporation
+
+project(
+  'embed dirs',
+  meson_version : '>= 1.13.0',
+  default_options : {'c_std' : 'c23', 'cpp_std' : 'c++26'},
+)
+
+dep = declare_dependency(
+  embed_directories : ['embed'],
+)
+
+if add_languages('c', required : false, native : false)
+  exe = executable(
+    'c_prog',
+    'main.c',
+    embed_directories : ['embed'],
+  )
+
+  test('C embed', exe)
+
+  exe = executable(
+    'c_with_dep',
+    'main.c',
+    dependencies : dep,
+  )
+
+  test('From dependency object', exe)
+endif
+
+if add_languages('cpp', required : false, native : false)
+  exe = executable(
+    'cpp_prog',
+    'main.cpp',
+    embed_directories : include_directories('embed'),
+  )
+
+  test('C++ embed', exe)
+endif