diff --git a/data/meson.build b/data/meson.build
index b22ff55..01c5910 100644
--- a/data/meson.build
+++ b/data/meson.build
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 if get_option('enable-backend')
     conf = configuration_data()
-    conf.set('sysconfdir', sysconfdir)
+    conf.set('sysconfdir', sysconfdir_install)
 
     if get_option('demo-agent')
         conf.set('demo_agent', 'geoclue-demo-agent;')
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ if get_option('enable-backend')
         conf.set('default_wifi_enable', 'false')
     endif
 
-    conf_dir = join_paths(sysconfdir, 'geoclue')
+    conf_dir = join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'geoclue')
     configure_file(output: 'geoclue.conf',
                    input: 'geoclue.conf.in',
                    configuration: conf,
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ if get_option('enable-backend')
     conf = configuration_data()
     conf.set('libexecdir', libexecdir)
     conf.set('dbus_srv_user', get_option('dbus-srv-user'))
-    conf.set('sysconfdir', sysconfdir)
+    conf.set('sysconfdir', sysconfdir_install)
 
     confd_dir = join_paths(conf_dir, 'conf.d')
     install_emptydir(confd_dir)
diff --git a/demo/meson.build b/demo/meson.build
index 1427fbe..2623f16 100644
--- a/demo/meson.build
+++ b/demo/meson.build
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ if get_option('demo-agent')
                                    install_dir: desktop_dir)
 
     # Also install in the autostart directory.
-    autostart_dir = join_paths(sysconfdir, 'xdg', 'autostart')
+    autostart_dir = join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'xdg', 'autostart')
     meson.add_install_script('install-file.py',
                              desktop_file.full_path(),
                              autostart_dir)
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index c561572..bca0cb3 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ datadir = join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('datadir'))
 includedir = join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('includedir'))
 libexecdir = join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('libexecdir'))
 sysconfdir = join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('sysconfdir'))
+if get_option('sysconfdir_install') != ''
+  sysconfdir_install = join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('sysconfdir_install'))
+else
+  sysconfdir_install = sysconfdir
+endif
 localedir = join_paths(datadir, 'locale')
 
 header_dir = 'libgeoclue-' + gclue_api_version
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 4d55a63..682b39c 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ option('enable-backend',
 option('demo-agent',
        type: 'boolean', value: true,
        description: 'Build demo agent')
+option('sysconfdir_install',
+       type: 'string', value: '',
+       description: 'sysconfdir to use during installation')
 option('dbus-sys-dir',
        type: 'string',
        description: 'where D-BUS system.d directory is')