diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el
index 0881626e92..67ce30a93c 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el
@@ -1103,8 +1103,17 @@ package-generate-autoloads
      (package-lisp-dir pkg-desc)
      output-file nil
      (prin1-to-string
-      `(add-to-list 'load-path
-                    ,(package-lisp-dir pkg-desc))))
+      `(add-to-list
+        'load-path
+        (file-name-concat
+         ;; Add the directory that will contain the autoload file to
+         ;; the load path.  We don't hard-code `pkg-dir', to avoid
+         ;; issues if the package directory is moved around.
+         (or (and load-file-name (file-name-directory load-file-name))
+             (car load-path))
+         ;; In case the package specification indicates that the lisp
+         ;; files are found in a subdirectory, append that path.
+         ,(alist-get :lisp-dir (package-desc-extras pkg-desc))))))
     (let ((buf (find-buffer-visiting output-file)))
       (when buf (kill-buffer buf)))
     auto-name))