diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 122820ae1..efb320857 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -140,3 +140,6 @@ option('pw-cat',
 option('udevrulesdir',
        type : 'string',
        description : 'Directory for udev rules (defaults to /lib/udev/rules.d)')
+option('systemd-user-unit-dir',
+       type : 'string',
+       description : 'Directory for user systemd units (defaults to /usr/lib/systemd/user)')
diff --git a/src/daemon/systemd/user/meson.build b/src/daemon/systemd/user/meson.build
index 29fc93d4a..46dfbbc88 100644
--- a/src/daemon/systemd/user/meson.build
+++ b/src/daemon/systemd/user/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 systemd_user_services_dir = systemd.get_pkgconfig_variable('systemduserunitdir', define_variable : [ 'prefix', prefix])
+if get_option('systemd-user-unit-dir') != ''
+  systemd_user_services_dir = get_option('systemd-user-unit-dir')
+endif
 
 install_data(
   sources : ['pipewire.socket', 'pipewire-pulse.socket'],