diff --git a/bus/legacy-config/meson.build b/bus/legacy-config/meson.build
index 1e635713..4be240e9 100644
--- a/bus/legacy-config/meson.build
+++ b/bus/legacy-config/meson.build
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ if platform_unix
         input: 'system.conf.in',
         output: 'system.conf',
         configuration: data_config,
-        install_dir: get_option('sysconfdir') / 'dbus-1',
+        install_dir: install_sysconfdir / 'dbus-1',
     )
 endif
 
@@ -32,5 +32,5 @@ configure_file(
     input: 'session.conf.in',
     output: 'session.conf',
     configuration: data_config,
-    install_dir: get_option('sysconfdir') / 'dbus-1',
+    install_dir: install_sysconfdir / 'dbus-1',
 )
diff --git a/bus/meson.build b/bus/meson.build
index 058e3b25..0a5de112 100644
--- a/bus/meson.build
+++ b/bus/meson.build
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ session_conf = configure_file(
     input: 'session.conf.in',
     output: 'session.conf',
     configuration: data_config,
-    install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'dbus-1',
+    install_dir: install_datadir / 'dbus-1',
 )
 
 if platform_unix
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ if platform_unix
         input: 'system.conf.in',
         output: 'system.conf',
         configuration: data_config,
-        install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'dbus-1',
+        install_dir: install_datadir / 'dbus-1',
     )
 endif
 
@@ -39,19 +39,19 @@ configure_file(
     input: 'example-system-enable-stats.conf.in',
     output: 'example-system-enable-stats.conf',
     configuration: data_config,
-    install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'doc' / 'dbus' / 'examples',
+    install_dir: install_datadir / 'doc' / 'dbus' / 'examples',
 )
 
 configure_file(
     input: 'example-session-disable-stats.conf.in',
     output: 'example-session-disable-stats.conf',
     configuration: data_config,
-    install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'doc' / 'dbus' / 'examples',
+    install_dir: install_datadir / 'doc' / 'dbus' / 'examples',
 )
 
 install_data(
     'example-system-hardening-without-traditional-activation.conf',
-    install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'doc' / 'dbus' / 'examples',
+    install_dir: install_datadir / 'doc' / 'dbus' / 'examples',
 )
 
 if use_launchd
@@ -185,15 +185,14 @@ if platform_unix and use_traditional_activation
 endif
 
 install_emptydirs += [
-    get_option('datadir') / 'dbus-1' / 'session.d',
-    get_option('datadir') / 'dbus-1' / 'services',
+    install_datadir / 'dbus-1' / 'session.d',
+    install_datadir / 'dbus-1' / 'services',
 ]
 
 if platform_unix
     install_emptydirs += [
-        runstatedir / 'dbus',
-        get_option('datadir') / 'dbus-1' / 'system.d',
-        get_option('datadir') / 'dbus-1' / 'system-services',
+        install_datadir / 'dbus-1' / 'system.d',
+        install_datadir / 'dbus-1' / 'system-services',
     ]
 endif
 
diff --git a/doc/meson.build b/doc/meson.build
index adc6f17d..1f2c5dce 100644
--- a/doc/meson.build
+++ b/doc/meson.build
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ configure_file(
 # Install dtd files
 
 
-xml_dir = get_option('datadir') / 'xml' / 'dbus-1'
+xml_dir = install_datadir / 'xml' / 'dbus-1'
 dtd_files = [
     'busconfig.dtd',
     'introspect.dtd',
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 3f4ad316..6cee2c6b 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -918,7 +918,17 @@ dbus_enable_modular_tests = (
 ###############################################################################
 # Paths and directories
 
-docs_dir = get_option('datadir') / 'doc' / 'dbus'
+install_datadir = get_option('install_datadir')
+if install_datadir == ''
+  install_datadir = get_option('prefix') / get_option('datadir')
+endif
+
+install_sysconfdir = get_option('install_sysconfdir')
+if install_sysconfdir == ''
+  install_sysconfdir = get_option('prefix') / get_option('sysconfdir')
+endif
+
+docs_dir = install_datadir / 'doc' / 'dbus'
 
 # TODO: If a future Meson version gets a runstatedir option, try both.
 # https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/4141
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 1bd00579..1dfb3c15 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -109,6 +109,20 @@ option(
   description: 'Inotify support on Linux'
 )
 
+option(
+  'install_datadir',
+  type: 'string',
+  value: '',
+  description: 'datadir for installation, so that we can set --datadir=/etc and have dbus load files from there but still install them to $out/share'
+)
+
+option(
+  'install_sysconfdir',
+  type: 'string',
+  value: '',
+  description: 'sysconfdir for installation, so that we can set --sysconfdir=/etc and have dbus load files from there but still install them to $out/etc'
+)
+
 option(
   'installed_tests',
   type: 'boolean',
diff --git a/test/data/meson.build b/test/data/meson.build
index ef570492..713396b7 100644
--- a/test/data/meson.build
+++ b/test/data/meson.build
@@ -224,14 +224,14 @@ if install_tests
                 'link_name': 'session.conf',
                 'install_dir': test_exec_dir / 'data' / 'valid-config-files',
                 'pointing_to':
-                    get_option('prefix') / get_option('datadir') /
+                    install_datadir /
                     'dbus-1' / 'session.conf',
             },
             {
                 'link_name': 'system.conf',
                 'install_dir': test_exec_dir / 'data' / 'valid-config-files-system',
                 'pointing_to':
-                    get_option('prefix') / get_option('datadir') /
+                    install_datadir /
                     'dbus-1' / 'system.conf',
             },
         ]
diff --git a/test/meson.build b/test/meson.build
index a60afac6..be7bd935 100644
--- a/test/meson.build
+++ b/test/meson.build
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 install_tests = get_option('installed_tests')
 
 test_exec_dir = get_option('libexecdir') / 'installed-tests' / 'dbus'
-test_meta_dir = get_option('datadir') / 'installed-tests' / 'dbus'
+test_meta_dir = install_datadir / 'installed-tests' / 'dbus'
 
 ###############################################################################
 # Test configuration needs some specific keys
diff --git a/tools/meson.build b/tools/meson.build
index 5d78d93a..7d094364 100644
--- a/tools/meson.build
+++ b/tools/meson.build
@@ -112,5 +112,4 @@ install_data('GetAllMatchRules.py',
 
 # Create the empty directory to hold the machine ID
 install_emptydirs += [
-    get_option('localstatedir') / 'lib' / 'dbus',
 ]