diff --git a/data/meson.build b/data/meson.build
index 25db9509..f394eb25 100644
--- a/data/meson.build
+++ b/data/meson.build
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 if build_daemon
   subdir('installed-tests')
   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 eefcc914..dc801fa1 100644
--- a/data/pki/meson.build
+++ b/data/pki/meson.build
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
       '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
 
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@
   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 826a3c1d..b78db663 100644
--- a/data/remotes.d/meson.build
+++ b/data/remotes.d/meson.build
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
       '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 @@
   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 8e1de887..a5bb1fe6 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -158,6 +158,12 @@
 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
+
 gio = dependency('gio-2.0', version : '>= 2.45.8')
 giounix = dependency('gio-unix-2.0', version : '>= 2.45.8')
 if gio.version().version_compare ('>= 2.55.0')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 71b50c6a..561c2031 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 option('systemd', type : 'boolean', value : true, description : 'enable systemd support')
 option('systemdunitdir', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'Directory for systemd units')
 option('elogind', type : 'boolean', value : false, description : 'enable elogind support')
+option('sysconfdir_install', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'sysconfdir to use during installation')
 option('tests', type : 'boolean', value : true, description : 'enable tests')
 option('udevdir', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'Directory for udev rules')
 option('efi-cc', type : 'string', value : 'gcc', description : 'the compiler to use for EFI modules')
diff --git a/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build b/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
index cb9f4555..b972d7fb 100644
--- a/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/dell-esrt/meson.build
@@ -36,5 +36,5 @@
   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 5c88504e..7706da71 100644
--- a/plugins/redfish/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/redfish/meson.build
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 )
 
 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 42718abf..bc815491 100644
--- a/plugins/thunderbolt/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/thunderbolt/meson.build
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 )
 
 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/meson.build b/plugins/uefi/meson.build
index 45b18d7d..ef8e0b04 100644
--- a/plugins/uefi/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/uefi/meson.build
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
 )
 
 install_data(['uefi.conf'],
-  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd')
+  install_dir:  join_paths(sysconfdir_install, 'fwupd')
 )
 
 if get_option('tests')