diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 81fff69b9..69957b38e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -811,7 +811,6 @@ dnl
 dnl datadir
 dnl
 
-datadir="$prefix/share"
 AC_SUBST_DIR([datadir])
 RB_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([DATA_DIR], ["$datadir/${PACKAGE_TARNAME}"], [Directory where read-only assets go.])
 
diff --git a/share/Makefile.am b/share/Makefile.am
index 143be1474..23c175dbf 100644
--- a/share/Makefile.am
+++ b/share/Makefile.am
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ datadir = @datadir@/$(PACKAGE_TARNAME)
 
 install-mkdirs:
 	-@if test ! -d $(datadir); then \
-		echo "mkdir -p $(datadir)"; \
-		mkdir -p $(datadir); \
+		echo "mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(datadir)"; \
+		mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(datadir); \
 	fi
 
 install: install-mkdirs