diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 181dd04..dc397d0 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -19,19 +19,19 @@ option(
 option(
   'DEPOT_CMAKE_PACKAGE',
   type: 'string',
-  value: '',
+  value: 'cmake',
   description: 'Compile in the helper package to auto-install before CMake builds',
 )
 option(
   'DEPOT_MESON_PACKAGE',
   type: 'string',
-  value: '',
+  value: 'meson',
   description: 'Compile in the helper package to auto-install before Meson builds',
 )
 option(
   'DEPOT_PERL_PACKAGE',
   type: 'string',
-  value: '',
+  value: 'perl',
   description: 'Compile in the helper package to auto-install before Perl builds',
 )
 option(
@@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ option(
 option(
   'DEPOT_PYTHON_PACKAGE',
   type: 'string',
-  value: '',
+  value: 'python',
   description: 'Compile in the helper package to auto-install before Python builds',
 )
 option(
   'DEPOT_RUST_PACKAGE',
   type: 'string',
-  value: '',
+  value: 'rust',
   description: 'Compile in the helper package to auto-install before Rust builds',
 )
 option(
diff --git a/src/builder/autotools.rs b/src/builder/autotools.rs
index 75d2909..4653b0d 100755
--- a/src/builder/autotools.rs
+++ b/src/builder/autotools.rs
@@ -550,13 +550,26 @@ fn configure_help_text(
     help_cmd.arg("--help");
     crate::builder::prepare_command(&mut help_cmd, env_vars);
     let output = help_cmd.output().ok()?;
-    if !output.status.success() {
-        return None;
-    }
     let mut text = String::new();
     text.push_str(&String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout));
     text.push_str(&String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr));
-    Some(text)
+    if output.status.success() || looks_like_configure_help_text(&text) {
+        return Some(text);
+    }
+    None
+}
+
+fn looks_like_configure_help_text(text: &str) -> bool {
+    let trimmed = text.trim();
+    if trimmed.is_empty() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    let lower = trimmed.to_ascii_lowercase();
+    lower.contains("usage:")
+        || lower.contains("options:")
+        || lower.contains("--help")
+        || lower.contains("--prefix")
 }
 
 fn configure_help_supports_option(help_text: &str, option: &str) -> bool {
@@ -1081,6 +1094,24 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(configure_help_supports_option(help, "--without-zlib"));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_looks_like_configure_help_text_accepts_bootstrap_style_output() {
+        let help = "\
+Usage: ./bootstrap [<options>...]
+Options:
+  --help
+  --prefix=PREFIX";
+        assert!(looks_like_configure_help_text(help));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_looks_like_configure_help_text_rejects_non_help_output() {
+        assert!(!looks_like_configure_help_text(""));
+        assert!(!looks_like_configure_help_text(
+            "Unknown option: --disable-static"
+        ));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_configure_supports_option_defaults_by_configure_file_usage() {
         assert!(configure_supports_option(None, "--host", ""));