diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 31c3e53e5..3fb1e81e1 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ if scdoc.found()
 	endforeach
 endif
 
-add_project_arguments('-DSYSCONFDIR="/@0@/@1@"'.format(prefix, sysconfdir), language : 'c')
+add_project_arguments('-DSYSCONFDIR="/@0@"'.format(sysconfdir), language : 'c')
 
 version = get_option('sway-version')
 if version != ''
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ subdir('swaynag')
 subdir('swaylock')
 
 config = configuration_data()
-config.set('sysconfdir', join_paths(prefix, sysconfdir))
+config.set('sysconfdir', sysconfdir)
 config.set('datadir', join_paths(prefix, datadir))
 config.set('prefix', prefix)