diff --git a/data/bios-settings.d/meson.build b/data/bios-settings.d/meson.build
index b0ff5b10..13ac380d 100644
--- a/data/bios-settings.d/meson.build
+++ b/data/bios-settings.d/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 if build_standalone and host_machine.system() == 'linux'
 install_data('README.md',
-  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'bios-settings.d')
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd', 'bios-settings.d')
 )
 endif
diff --git a/data/meson.build b/data/meson.build
index 8999ee57..b57174dc 100644
--- a/data/meson.build
+++ b/data/meson.build
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ endif

 if build_standalone
   install_data(['fwupd.conf'],
-    install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd'),
+    install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd'),
     install_mode: 'rw-r-----',
   )
   plugin_quirks += files([
diff --git a/data/pki/meson.build b/data/pki/meson.build
index 3649fece..c3462744 100644
--- a/data/pki/meson.build
+++ b/data/pki/meson.build
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ install_data([
     'GPG-KEY-Linux-Foundation-Firmware',
     'GPG-KEY-Linux-Vendor-Firmware-Service',
   ],
-  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'pki', 'fwupd')
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'pki', 'fwupd')
 )
 install_data([
     'GPG-KEY-Linux-Foundation-Metadata',
     'GPG-KEY-Linux-Vendor-Firmware-Service',
   ],
-  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'pki', 'fwupd-metadata')
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'pki', 'fwupd-metadata')
 )
 endif

@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@ if supported_pkcs7
 install_data([
     'LVFS-CA.pem',
   ],
-  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'pki', 'fwupd')
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'pki', 'fwupd')
 )
 install_data([
     'LVFS-CA.pem',
   ],
-  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'pki', 'fwupd-metadata')
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'pki', 'fwupd-metadata')
 )
 endif
diff --git a/data/remotes.d/meson.build b/data/remotes.d/meson.build
index c20a1a05..5354bac7 100644
--- a/data/remotes.d/meson.build
+++ b/data/remotes.d/meson.build
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ if build_standalone and get_option('lvfs') != 'false'
     output: 'lvfs.conf',
     configuration: con3,
     install: true,
-    install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
+    install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
   )
   configure_file(
     input: 'lvfs-testing.conf',
     output: 'lvfs-testing.conf',
     configuration: con3,
     install: true,
-    install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
+    install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
   )
   i18n.merge_file(
     input: 'lvfs.metainfo.xml',
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ configure_file(
   output: 'vendor.conf',
   configuration: con2,
   install: true,
-  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
 )
 configure_file(
   input: 'vendor-directory.conf',
   output: 'vendor-directory.conf',
   configuration: con2,
   install: true,
-  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
 )
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index fa7a5599..5b53a407 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -191,6 +191,12 @@ endif
 mandir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('mandir'))
 localedir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('localedir'))

+if get_option('sysconfdir_install') != ''
+  sysconfdir_install = join_paths(prefix, get_option('sysconfdir_install'))
+else
+  sysconfdir_install = sysconfdir
+endif
+
 diffcmd = find_program('diff')
 gio = dependency('gio-2.0', version: '>= 2.45.8')
 giounix = dependency('gio-unix-2.0', version: '>= 2.45.8', required: false)

diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 81d373f8..d214cf64 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+option('sysconfdir_install', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'sysconfdir to use during installation')
 option('build', type : 'combo', choices : ['all', 'standalone', 'library'], value : 'all', description : 'build type')
 option('consolekit', type : 'feature', description : 'ConsoleKit support', deprecated: {'true': 'enabled', 'false': 'disabled'})
 option('static_analysis', type : 'boolean', value : false, description : 'enable GCC static analysis support')
diff --git a/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build b/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
index 88c039f8..62a7691f 100644
--- a/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ configure_file(
   output: 'dell-esrt.conf',
   configuration: con2,
   install: true,
-  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
 )
 endif
diff --git a/plugins/uefi-capsule/meson.build b/plugins/uefi-capsule/meson.build
index f4657a6a..28ca0653 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi-capsule/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/uefi-capsule/meson.build
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ if host_machine.system() == 'linux'
     output: '35_fwupd',
     configuration: con2,
     install: true,
-    install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'grub.d')
+    install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'grub.d')
   )
 elif host_machine.system() == 'freebsd'
   backend_srcs += 'fu-uefi-backend-freebsd.c'
--
2.40.1