project('tutorial', 'cpp') works, but add_languages('cpp') fails with MSVC

[13lackade]

Describe the bug
When I use MSVC as C++ compiler, project('tutorial', 'cpp') works, but add_languages('cpp') fails with this output.

$ meson setup build
The Meson build system
Version: 1.4.99
Source dir: C:\Test
Build dir: C:\Test\build
Build type: native build
Project name: tutorial
Project version: undefined
Host machine cpu family: x86_64
Host machine cpu: x86_64

meson.build:3:0: ERROR: Compiler cl cannot compile programs.

A full log can be found at C:\Test\build\meson-logs\meson-log.txt

meson-log.txt
meson-info.json

To Reproduce

1. This is the content of meson.build

project('tutorial')
add_languages('cpp')
executable('demo', 'main.cpp')

2. On x64 Native Tools Command Prompt for VS 2022, run meson setup build.

Expected behavior
Works as well as when I use project('tutorial', 'cpp').

system parameters

• MSVC version : Microsoft (R) C/C++ Optimizing Compiler Version 19.39.33523 for x64
• Native build
• Operating system : Windows11 23H2
• python --version : Python 3.13.0a2
• meson --version : 1.4.99
• ninja --version : 1.11.0