diff --git a/systemd/system/meson.build b/systemd/system/meson.build
index f90f93d5a..632ff420e 100644
--- a/systemd/system/meson.build
+++ b/systemd/system/meson.build
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ systemd_system_unit_dir = get_option('systemd_system_unit_dir')
 if systemd_system_unit_dir == ''
   systemd = dependency('systemd', required: false)
   if systemd.found()
-      systemd_system_unit_dir = systemd.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'systemdsystemunitdir')
+      systemd_system_unit_dir = systemd.get_variable(
+        pkgconfig: 'systemdsystemunitdir',
+        pkgconfig_define: ['prefix', get_option('prefix')],
+      )
   endif
 endif
 if systemd_system_unit_dir == ''
diff --git a/systemd/user/meson.build b/systemd/user/meson.build
index 86a1fd933..7a3522ce5 100644
--- a/systemd/user/meson.build
+++ b/systemd/user/meson.build
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ systemd_user_unit_dir = get_option('systemd_user_unit_dir')
 if systemd_user_unit_dir == ''
   systemd = dependency('systemd', required: false)
   if systemd.found()
-    systemd_user_unit_dir = systemd.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'systemduserunitdir')
+    systemd_user_unit_dir = systemd.get_variable(
+      pkgconfig: 'systemduserunitdir',
+      pkgconfig_define: ['prefix', get_option('prefix')],
+    )
   endif
 endif
 if systemd_user_unit_dir == ''