diff --git a/docs/yaml/functions/custom_target.yaml b/docs/yaml/functions/custom_target.yaml
index b32520501..e9ea288b3 100644
--- a/docs/yaml/functions/custom_target.yaml
+++ b/docs/yaml/functions/custom_target.yaml
@@ -189,8 +189,10 @@ kwargs:
       are also accepted.
 
   input:
-    type: array[str | file]
-    description: Array of source files. *(since 0.41.0)* the array is flattened.
+    type: array[str | file | program]
+    description: |
+      Array of source files. *(since 0.41.0)* the array is flattened.
+      `program` is supported *since 1.11.2*.
 
   install:
     type: bool
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
index d414e8ee8..ef83dc41b 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter/type_checking.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import typing as T
 
 from .. import compilers
 from ..build import (CustomTarget, BuildTarget,
-                     CustomTargetIndex, ExtractedObjects, GeneratedList, IncludeDirs,
+                     CustomTargetIndex, ExtractedObjects, GeneratedList, IncludeDirs, LocalProgram,
                      BothLibraries, SharedLibrary, StaticLibrary, Jar, Executable, StructuredSources)
 from ..options import OptionKey
 from ..dependencies import Dependency, DependencyMethods, InternalDependency
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ NoneType: T.Type[None] = type(None)
 if T.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing_extensions import Literal
 
+    from .kwargs import CustomTargetInputs
     from ..build import ObjectTypes, GeneratedTypes, BuildTargetTypes
     from ..interpreterbase import TYPE_var
     from ..options import ElementaryOptionValues
@@ -351,11 +352,22 @@ OUTPUT_KW: KwargInfo[str] = KwargInfo(
     validator=lambda x: _output_validator([x])
 )
 
-CT_INPUT_KW: KwargInfo[T.List[T.Union[str, File, ExternalProgram, BuildTarget, GeneratedTypes, ExtractedObjects]]] = KwargInfo(
+def _local_program_convertor(raw: T.List[T.Union[str, File, BuildTarget, GeneratedTypes, ExtractedObjects, LocalProgram]]) -> T.List[CustomTargetInputs]:
+    result: T.List[CustomTargetInputs] = []
+    for i in raw:
+        if isinstance(i, LocalProgram):
+            result.append(i.get_target())
+        else:
+            result.append(i)
+    return result
+
+CT_INPUT_KW: KwargInfo[T.List[T.Union[str, File, BuildTarget, GeneratedTypes, ExtractedObjects, LocalProgram]]] = KwargInfo(
     'input',
-    ContainerTypeInfo(list, (str, File, ExternalProgram, BuildTarget, CustomTarget, CustomTargetIndex, ExtractedObjects, GeneratedList)),
+    ContainerTypeInfo(list, (str, File, BuildTarget, CustomTarget, CustomTargetIndex, ExtractedObjects, GeneratedList, Program)),
     listify=True,
     default=[],
+    convertor=_local_program_convertor,
+    since_values={ExternalProgram: '1.11.2'},
 )
 
 CT_INSTALL_TAG_KW: KwargInfo[T.List[T.Union[str, bool]]] = KwargInfo(