diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 8fbfd5fc49..112305a6de 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ pkgconfiglibdir = get_option('pkgconfiglibdir') == '' ? join_paths(libdir, 'pkgc
 polkitpolicydir = join_paths(datadir, 'polkit-1/actions')
 polkitrulesdir = join_paths(datadir, 'polkit-1/rules.d')
 polkitpkladir = join_paths(localstatedir, 'lib/polkit-1/localauthority/10-vendor.d')
-xinitrcdir = join_paths(sysconfdir, 'X11/xinit/xinitrc.d')
+xinitrcdir = get_option('xinitrcdir') == '' ? join_paths(sysconfdir, 'X11/xinit/xinitrc.d') : get_option('xinitrcdir')
 rpmmacrosdir = get_option('rpmmacrosdir')
 if rpmmacrosdir != 'no'
         rpmmacrosdir = join_paths(prefixdir, rpmmacrosdir)
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 425e958ba2..bcc0dc11f8 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ option('pkgconfigdatadir', type : 'string', value : '',
        description : 'directory for arch-independent pkg-config files')
 option('pkgconfiglibdir', type : 'string', value : '',
        description : 'directory for standard pkg-config files')
+option('xinitrcdir', type : 'string', value : '',
+       description : 'directory for xinitrc files')
 option('rpmmacrosdir', type : 'string', value : 'lib/rpm/macros.d',
        description : 'directory for rpm macros ["no" disables]')
 option('pamlibdir', type : 'string',