diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a7d5ea9ea3..4356c95a19 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -43,10 +43,18 @@ nm_libexecdir = join_paths(nm_prefix, get_option('libexecdir'))
 nm_localedir = join_paths(nm_prefix, get_option('localedir'))
 nm_localstatedir = join_paths(nm_prefix, get_option('localstatedir'))
 nm_mandir = join_paths(nm_prefix, get_option('mandir'))
-nm_runstatedir = join_paths(nm_localstatedir, 'run')
 nm_sbindir = join_paths(nm_prefix, get_option('sbindir'))
 nm_sysconfdir = join_paths(nm_prefix, get_option('sysconfdir'))
 
+nm_runstatedir = get_option('runtime_dir')
+if nm_runstatedir == ''
+  if get_option('prefix') == '/usr'
+    nm_runstatedir = '/run'
+  else
+    nm_runstatedir = join_paths(nm_localstatedir, 'run')
+  endif
+endif
+
 nm_pkgsbindir = join_paths(nm_sbindir, nm_name)
 nm_pkgconfdir = join_paths(nm_sysconfdir, nm_name)
 nm_pkgdatadir = join_paths(nm_datadir, nm_name)
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 92439ac539..75cf183d71 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ option('system_ca_path', type: 'string', value: '/etc/ssl/certs', description: '
 option('udev_dir', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'Absolute path of the udev base directory. Set to \'no\' not to install the udev rule')
 option('dbus_conf_dir', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'where D-Bus system.d directory is')
 option('kernel_firmware_dir', type: 'string', value: '/lib/firmware', description: 'where kernel firmware directory is (default is /lib/firmware)')
+option('runtime_dir', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'Directory for transient runtime state [default: LOCALSTATEDIR/run or /run]')
 option('iptables', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'path to iptables')
 option('nft', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'path to nft')
 option('dnsmasq', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'path to dnsmasq')