diff --git a/config/init/systemd/meson.build b/config/init/systemd/meson.build
index 21e756504..741901016 100644
--- a/config/init/systemd/meson.build
+++ b/config/init/systemd/meson.build
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@ lxc_apparmor_load = configure_file(
     install_dir: lxclibexec)
 
 if 'systemd' in init_script
-    systemd = dependency('systemd')
-    systemd_system_unit_dir = systemd.get_variable('systemdsystemunitdir')
+    systemd_system_unit_dir = get_option('systemd-unitdir')
+    if systemd_system_unit_dir == ''
+        systemd = dependency('systemd')
+        systemd_system_unit_dir = systemd.get_variable('systemdsystemunitdir')
+    endif
 
     configure_file(
         configuration: conf,
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 7aefa2bd2..9803473d2 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ option('init-script', type : 'array',
        choices : ['systemd', 'sysvinit', 'upstart'], value : ['systemd'],
        description : 'init script')
 
+# was --systemd-unidir in autotools
+# If set to "", the value is taken from the running systemd instance.
+option('systemd-unitdir', type : 'string', value: '',
+       description : 'systemd system unit directory')
+
 # was --{disable,enable}-liburing in autotools
 option('io-uring-event-loop', type: 'boolean', value: 'false',
        description: 'Enable io-uring based event loop')