diff --git a/Documentation/Makefile b/Documentation/Makefile
index 4798933a49..c887ded6af 100644
--- a/Documentation/Makefile
+++ b/Documentation/Makefile
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ bin=$(prefix)/bin
 mandir=$(prefix)/man
 man1=$(mandir)/man1
 man7=$(mandir)/man7
+# DESTDIR=
 
 INSTALL=install
 
@@ -33,9 +34,9 @@ man1: $(DOC_MAN1)
 man7: $(DOC_MAN7)
 
 install:
-	$(INSTALL) -m755 -d $(dest)/$(man1) $(dest)/$(man7)
-	$(INSTALL) $(DOC_MAN1) $(dest)/$(man1)
-	$(INSTALL) $(DOC_MAN7) $(dest)/$(man7)
+	$(INSTALL) -m755 -d $(DESTDIR)/$(man1) $(DESTDIR)/$(man7)
+	$(INSTALL) $(DOC_MAN1) $(DESTDIR)/$(man1)
+	$(INSTALL) $(DOC_MAN7) $(DESTDIR)/$(man7)
 
 # 'include' dependencies
 git-diff-%.txt: diff-format.txt diff-options.txt
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3e9b40621d..2e8ed5af17 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ ALL_CFLAGS = $(CFLAGS) $(DEFINES)
 prefix = $(HOME)
 bindir = $(prefix)/bin
 template_dir = $(prefix)/share/git-core/templates/
-# dest=
+# DESTDIR=
 
 CC = gcc
 AR = ar
@@ -209,8 +209,8 @@ check:
 ### Installation rules
 
 install: $(PROG) $(SCRIPTS)
-	$(INSTALL) -m755 -d $(dest)$(bindir)
-	$(INSTALL) $(PROG) $(SCRIPTS) $(dest)$(bindir)
+	$(INSTALL) -m755 -d $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
+	$(INSTALL) $(PROG) $(SCRIPTS) $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
 	$(MAKE) -C templates install
 
 install-tools:
diff --git a/templates/Makefile b/templates/Makefile
index 6b2a90071b..776e6c8009 100644
--- a/templates/Makefile
+++ b/templates/Makefile
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 INSTALL=install
 prefix=$(HOME)
 template_dir=$(prefix)/share/git-core/templates/
-# dest=
+# DESTDIR=
 
 all: boilerplates custom
 	find blt
@@ -34,5 +34,5 @@ clean:
 	rm -rf blt
 
 install: all
-	$(INSTALL) -d -m755 $(dest)$(template_dir)
-	tar Ccf blt - . | tar Cxf $(dest)$(template_dir) -
+	$(INSTALL) -d -m755 $(DESTDIR)$(template_dir)
+	tar Ccf blt - . | tar Cxf $(DESTDIR)$(template_dir) -
diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index 480ce4aad3..779177c5a9 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ ALL_CFLAGS = $(CFLAGS)
 INSTALL=install
 prefix=$(HOME)
 bindir=$(prefix)/bin
-# dest=
+# DESTDIR=
 
 PROGRAMS=git-mailsplit git-mailinfo
 SCRIPTS=git-applymbox git-applypatch
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ all: $(PROGRAMS)
 
 install: $(PROGRAMS) $(SCRIPTS)
 	$(INSTALL) -m755 -d $(dest)$(bindir)
-	$(INSTALL) $(PROGRAMS) $(SCRIPTS) $(dest)$(bindir)
+	$(INSTALL) $(PROGRAMS) $(SCRIPTS) $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
 
 clean:
 	rm -f $(PROGRAMS) *.o