diff --git a/data/builder/meson.build b/data/builder/meson.build
index 38c007d07..c7a430c09 100644
--- a/data/builder/meson.build
+++ b/data/builder/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 install_data('README.md',
-  install_dir : join_paths(get_option('localstatedir'), 'lib', 'fwupd', 'builder')
+  install_dir : join_paths(localstatedir, 'lib', 'fwupd', 'builder')
 )
diff --git a/data/installed-tests/meson.build b/data/installed-tests/meson.build
index 3f6ecf4a3..9d83749a8 100644
--- a/data/installed-tests/meson.build
+++ b/data/installed-tests/meson.build
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 con2 = configuration_data()
 con2.set('installedtestsdir',
-         join_paths(get_option('prefix'),
-                    get_option('datadir'),
-                    'installed-tests', 'fwupd'))
-con2.set('bindir',
-         join_paths(get_option('prefix'),
-                    get_option('bindir')))
+         join_paths(datadir, 'installed-tests', 'fwupd'))
+con2.set('bindir', bindir)
 
 configure_file(
   input : 'fwupdmgr.test.in',
diff --git a/data/meson.build b/data/meson.build
index 1a01c440a..02fda0b72 100644
--- a/data/meson.build
+++ b/data/meson.build
@@ -8,19 +8,19 @@ if get_option('enable-tests')
 endif
 
 install_data(['daemon.conf'],
-  install_dir : join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'fwupd')
+  install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd')
 )
 
 install_data(['org.freedesktop.fwupd.metainfo.xml'],
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'metainfo')
+  install_dir: join_paths(datadir, 'metainfo')
 )
 
 install_data(['org.freedesktop.fwupd.conf'],
-  install_dir : join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'dbus-1', 'system.d')
+  install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'dbus-1', 'system.d')
 )
 
 install_data(['metadata.xml'],
-  install_dir : join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'fwupd', 'remotes.d', 'fwupd')
+  install_dir : join_paths(datadir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d', 'fwupd')
 )
 
 install_data(['90-fwupd-devices.rules'],
@@ -28,14 +28,10 @@ install_data(['90-fwupd-devices.rules'],
 )
 
 con2 = configuration_data()
-con2.set('libexecdir',
-         join_paths(get_option('prefix'),
-                    get_option('libexecdir')))
-con2.set('bindir',
-         join_paths(get_option('prefix'),
-                    get_option('bindir')))
-con2.set('localstatedir', join_paths(get_option('localstatedir')))
-con2.set('datadir', join_paths(get_option('datadir')))
+con2.set('libexecdir', libexecdir)
+con2.set('bindir', bindir)
+con2.set('localstatedir', localstatedir)
+con2.set('datadir', datadir)
 con2.set('bootdir', get_option('with-bootdir'))
 con2.set('sysconfdir', default_sysconfdir)
 
@@ -45,7 +41,7 @@ configure_file(
   output : 'org.freedesktop.fwupd.service',
   configuration : con2,
   install: true,
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'),
+  install_dir: join_paths(datadir,
                           'dbus-1',
                           'system-services'),
 )
diff --git a/data/pki/meson.build b/data/pki/meson.build
index 3c3a8be53..4d4a460cb 100644
--- a/data/pki/meson.build
+++ b/data/pki/meson.build
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@ if get_option('enable-gpg')
       'GPG-KEY-Hughski-Limited',
       'GPG-KEY-Linux-Vendor-Firmware-Service',
     ],
-    install_dir : join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'pki', 'fwupd')
+    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'pki', 'fwupd')
   )
 
   install_data([
       'GPG-KEY-Linux-Vendor-Firmware-Service',
     ],
-    install_dir : join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'pki', 'fwupd-metadata')
+    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'pki', 'fwupd-metadata')
   )
 endif
 
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@ if get_option('enable-pkcs7')
   install_data([
       'LVFS-CA.pem',
     ],
-    install_dir : join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'pki', 'fwupd')
+    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'pki', 'fwupd')
   )
   install_data([
       'LVFS-CA.pem',
     ],
-    install_dir : join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'pki', 'fwupd-metadata')
+    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'pki', 'fwupd-metadata')
   )
 endif
 
diff --git a/data/remotes.d/meson.build b/data/remotes.d/meson.build
index 69d3ef97c..fbed77170 100644
--- a/data/remotes.d/meson.build
+++ b/data/remotes.d/meson.build
@@ -3,28 +3,28 @@ if get_option('enable-lvfs')
       'lvfs.conf',
       'lvfs-testing.conf',
     ],
-    install_dir : join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'fwupd', 'remotes.d')
+    install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d')
   )
 endif
 
 install_data('README.md',
-  install_dir : join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'fwupd', 'remotes.d', 'vendor', 'firmware')
+  install_dir : join_paths(datadir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d', 'vendor', 'firmware')
 )
 
 # replace @datadir@
 con2 = configuration_data()
-con2.set('datadir', join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('datadir')))
+con2.set('datadir', datadir)
 configure_file(
   input : 'fwupd.conf',
   output : 'fwupd.conf',
   configuration : con2,
   install: true,
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
 )
 configure_file(
   input : 'vendor.conf',
   output : 'vendor.conf',
   configuration : con2,
   install: true,
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('sysconfdir'), 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
+  install_dir: join_paths(sysconfdir, 'fwupd', 'remotes.d'),
 )
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 7cc6fe856..e4dc9cce0 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -223,6 +223,17 @@ if get_option('enable-consolekit')
   conf.set('HAVE_CONSOLEKIT' , '1')
 endif
 
+prefix = get_option('prefix')
+
+bindir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('bindir'))
+libdir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('libdir'))
+datadir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('datadir'))
+libexecdir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('libexecdir'))
+sysconfdir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('sysconfdir'))
+localstatedir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('localstatedir'))
+mandir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('mandir'))
+localedir = join_paths(prefix, get_option('localedir'))
+
 systemdunitdir = get_option('with-systemdunitdir')
 if systemdunitdir == '' and get_option('enable-systemd')
   systemdunitdir = systemd.get_pkgconfig_variable('systemdsystemunitdir')
@@ -236,21 +247,15 @@ endif
 gnome = import('gnome')
 i18n = import('i18n')
 
-plugin_dir = join_paths(get_option('prefix'),
-                        get_option('libdir'),
-                        'fwupd-plugins-3')
+plugin_dir = join_paths(libdir, 'fwupd-plugins-3')
 
-conf.set_quoted('BINDIR',
-                join_paths(get_option('prefix'),
-                           get_option('bindir')))
-conf.set_quoted('LIBEXECDIR',
-                join_paths(get_option('prefix'),
-                           get_option('libexecdir')))
+conf.set_quoted('BINDIR', bindir)
+conf.set_quoted('LIBEXECDIR', libexecdir)
 
 conf.set_quoted('GETTEXT_PACKAGE', meson.project_name())
 conf.set_quoted('PACKAGE_NAME', meson.project_name())
 conf.set_quoted('VERSION', meson.project_version())
-conf.set_quoted('LOCALEDIR', get_option('localedir'))
+conf.set_quoted('LOCALEDIR', localedir)
 configure_file(
   output : 'config.h',
   configuration : conf
@@ -262,9 +267,6 @@ if default_sysconfdir == 'etc'
   default_sysconfdir = '/etc'
 endif
 
-localstatedir = join_paths(get_option('prefix'),
-                           get_option('localstatedir'))
-
 plugin_deps = []
 plugin_deps += appstream_glib
 plugin_deps += gio
diff --git a/plugins/dell/meson.build b/plugins/dell/meson.build
index a156977c4..0ba593786 100644
--- a/plugins/dell/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/dell/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 cargs = ['-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="FuPluginDell"']
 
 install_data(['dell.quirk'],
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'fwupd', 'quirks.d')
+  install_dir: join_paths(datadir, 'fwupd', 'quirks.d')
 )
 
 shared_module('fu_plugin_dell',
diff --git a/plugins/dfu/meson.build b/plugins/dfu/meson.build
index 817e99f42..dd49358db 100644
--- a/plugins/dfu/meson.build
+++ b/plugins/dfu/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 cargs = ['-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="FuPluginDfu"']
 
 install_data(['dfu.quirk'],
-  install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'fwupd', 'quirks.d')
+  install_dir: join_paths(datadir, 'fwupd', 'quirks.d')
 )
 
 dfu = static_library(
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ executable(
   ],
   c_args : cargs,
   install : true,
-  install_dir : get_option('bindir')
+  install_dir : bindir
 )
 
 if get_option('enable-man')
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ if get_option('enable-man')
       '--output', meson.current_build_dir(),
     ],
     install : true,
-    install_dir : join_paths(get_option('mandir'), 'man1'),
+    install_dir : join_paths(mandir, 'man1'),
   )
 endif
 
diff --git a/policy/meson.build b/policy/meson.build
index 4b6734857..ec6002589 100644
--- a/policy/meson.build
+++ b/policy/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 install_data('org.freedesktop.fwupd.rules',
-             install_dir : join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'polkit-1', 'rules.d'))
+             install_dir : join_paths(datadir, 'polkit-1', 'rules.d'))
 
 #meson 0.41.0 added support for data_dirs argument
 if meson.version().version_compare('>=0.41.0')
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ if meson.version().version_compare('>=0.41.0')
       input: 'org.freedesktop.fwupd.policy.in',
       output: 'org.freedesktop.fwupd.policy',
       install: true,
-      install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'polkit-1', 'actions') ,
+      install_dir: join_paths(datadir, 'polkit-1', 'actions') ,
       type: 'xml',
       po_dir: join_paths(meson.source_root(), 'po')
     )
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ if meson.version().version_compare('>=0.41.0')
       input: 'org.freedesktop.fwupd.policy.in',
       output: 'org.freedesktop.fwupd.policy',
       install: true,
-      install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'polkit-1', 'actions') ,
+      install_dir: join_paths(datadir, 'polkit-1', 'actions') ,
       type: 'xml',
       data_dirs: join_paths(meson.source_root(), 'policy'),
       po_dir: join_paths(meson.source_root(), 'po')
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ else
               '-d', join_paths(meson.source_root(), 'po'),
               '-o', '@OUTPUT@'],
     install: true,
-    install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'polkit-1', 'actions')
+    install_dir: join_paths(datadir, 'polkit-1', 'actions')
    )
 endif
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 3d35dd876..57852b4d1 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 cargs = ['-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="Fu"']
 
 install_data(['org.freedesktop.fwupd.xml'],
-  install_dir : join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'dbus-1', 'interfaces')
+  install_dir : join_paths(datadir, 'dbus-1', 'interfaces')
 )
 
 keyring_deps = []
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ libfwupdprivate = static_library(
     cargs,
     '-DLOCALSTATEDIR="' + localstatedir + '"',
     '-DSYSFSFIRMWAREDIR="/sys/firmware"',
-    '-DFWUPDDATADIR="' + join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('datadir'), 'fwupd') + '"',
+    '-DFWUPDDATADIR="' + join_paths(datadir, 'fwupd') + '"',
     '-DFU_OFFLINE_DESTDIR=""',
   ],
 )
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ fwupdmgr = executable(
     '-DFU_OFFLINE_DESTDIR=""',
   ],
   install : true,
-  install_dir : get_option('bindir')
+  install_dir : bindir
 )
 
 if get_option('enable-man')
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ if get_option('enable-man')
       '--version-string', fwupd_version,
     ],
     install : true,
-    install_dir : join_paths(get_option('mandir'), 'man1'),
+    install_dir : join_paths(mandir, 'man1'),
   )
 endif
 
@@ -158,12 +158,12 @@ executable(
     '-DPLUGINDIR="' + plugin_dir + '"',
     '-DSYSFSFIRMWAREDIR="/sys/firmware"',
     '-DSYSCONFDIR="' + default_sysconfdir + '"',
-    '-DFWUPDDATADIR="' + join_paths(get_option('prefix'), get_option('datadir'), 'fwupd') + '"',
+    '-DFWUPDDATADIR="' + join_paths(datadir, 'fwupd') + '"',
     '-DFWUPDCONFIGDIR="' + join_paths(default_sysconfdir, 'fwupd') + '"',
     '-DFU_OFFLINE_DESTDIR=""',
   ],
   install : true,
-  install_dir : join_paths(get_option('libexecdir'), 'fwupd')
+  install_dir : join_paths(libexecdir, 'fwupd')
 )
 
 if get_option('enable-tests')