diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index bf266e5f9..57dbea02e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ is_freebsd = host_machine.system().startswith('freebsd')
 datadir = get_option('datadir')
 sysconfdir = get_option('sysconfdir')
 prefix = get_option('prefix')
+instlibdir = get_option('instlibdir')
+
+if instlibdir == ''
+  instlibdir = join_paths(prefix, 'lib/sway')
+endif
+add_project_arguments('-DINSTLIBDIR="/@0@"'.format(instlibdir), language : 'c')
+
 
 jsonc          = dependency('json-c', version: '>=0.13')
 pcre           = dependency('libpcre')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 541ccf138..6c3dcd584 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+option('instlibdir', type: 'string', description: 'Installation path for sway-internal executables, such as swaybg or swaybar.  (Default: prefix/lib/sway)')
 option('sway_version', type : 'string', description: 'The version string reported in `sway --version`.')
 option('default_wallpaper', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Install the default wallpaper.')
 option('zsh_completions', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Install zsh shell completions.')
diff --git a/sway/commands/exec_always.c b/sway/commands/exec_always.c
index af4bd7399..3f3a7940a 100644
--- a/sway/commands/exec_always.c
+++ b/sway/commands/exec_always.c
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_exec_always(int argc, char **argv) {
 		if ((*child = fork()) == 0) {
 			// Acquire the current PATH
 			char *path = getenv("PATH");
-			const char *extra_path = ":/usr/lib/sway";
-			const size_t extra_size = sizeof("/usr/lib/sway") + 1;
+			const char *extra_path = ":" INSTLIBDIR;
+			const size_t extra_size = sizeof(INSTLIBDIR) + 1;
 
 			if (!path) {
 				size_t n = confstr(_CS_PATH, NULL, 0);
diff --git a/swaybar/meson.build b/swaybar/meson.build
index f115ffa29..ad7ed5fe1 100644
--- a/swaybar/meson.build
+++ b/swaybar/meson.build
@@ -25,5 +25,5 @@ executable(
 	],
 	link_with: [lib_sway_common, lib_sway_client],
 	install: true,
-	install_dir: 'usr/lib/sway'
+	install_dir: instlibdir
 )
diff --git a/swaybg/meson.build b/swaybg/meson.build
index c1bb7d180..e994da8fd 100644
--- a/swaybg/meson.build
+++ b/swaybg/meson.build
@@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ executable(
 	],
 	link_with: [lib_sway_common, lib_sway_client],
 	install: true,
-	install_dir: 'usr/lib/sway'
+	install_dir: instlibdir
 )