diff --git a/data/meson.build b/data/meson.build
index 50154569..f8058a8e 100644
--- a/data/meson.build
+++ b/data/meson.build
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ endif
 
 if build_standalone
   install_data(['daemon.conf'],
-    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd')
+    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd')
   )
 endif
 
diff --git a/data/pki/meson.build b/data/pki/meson.build
index 94bb0b6f..1ea6a9ac 100644
--- a/data/pki/meson.build
+++ b/data/pki/meson.build
@@ -3,24 +3,23 @@ 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')
 )
 
 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')
 )
-
diff --git a/data/remotes.d/meson.build b/data/remotes.d/meson.build
index 826a3c1d..b78db663 100644
--- a/data/remotes.d/meson.build
+++ b/data/remotes.d/meson.build
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ if build_daemon and get_option('lvfs')
       'lvfs.conf',
       'lvfs-testing.conf',
     ],
-    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d')
+    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d')
   )
   i18n.merge_file(
     input: 'lvfs.metainfo.xml',
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ 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 1ab6519b..0f2fcea6 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -196,6 +196,12 @@ 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 87e76870..16cb876c 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('agent', type : 'boolean', value : true, description : 'enable the fwupd agent')
 option('consolekit', type : 'boolean', value : true, description : 'enable ConsoleKit support')
diff --git a/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build b/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
index ed4eee70..76dbdb1d 100644
--- a/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
@@ -37,5 +37,5 @@ 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'),
 )
diff --git a/plugins/redfish/meson.build b/plugins/redfish/meson.build
index 205d1394..3223f404 100644
--- a/plugins/redfish/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/redfish/meson.build
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ shared_module('fu_plugin_redfish',
 )
 
 install_data(['redfish.conf'],
-  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd')
+  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd')
 )
 
 if get_option('tests')
diff --git a/plugins/thunderbolt/meson.build b/plugins/thunderbolt/meson.build
index 6b2368fb..2bd06fed 100644
--- a/plugins/thunderbolt/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/thunderbolt/meson.build
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ fu_plugin_thunderbolt = shared_module('fu_plugin_thunderbolt',
 )
 
 install_data(['thunderbolt.conf'],
-  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd')
+  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd')
 )
 # we use functions from 2.52 in the tests
 if get_option('tests') and umockdev.found() and gio.version().version_compare('>= 2.52')
diff --git a/plugins/uefi-capsule/meson.build b/plugins/uefi-capsule/meson.build
index 675de181..a02c7754 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi-capsule/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/uefi-capsule/meson.build
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ if get_option('man')
 endif
 
 install_data(['uefi_capsule.conf'],
-  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd')
+  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd')
 )
 
 # add all the .po files as inputs to watch
diff --git a/plugins/upower/meson.build b/plugins/upower/meson.build
index 290a3eb6..9ab2f452 100644
--- a/plugins/upower/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/upower/meson.build
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ shared_module('fu_plugin_upower',
 )
 
 install_data(['upower.conf'],
-  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd')
+  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd')
 )