diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc-destroy.in b/src/lxc/lxc-destroy.in
index ddd3c3b39..dda48e681 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc-destroy.in
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc-destroy.in
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ fi
 
 shortoptions='n:'
 longoptions='name:'
+localstatedir=@LOCALSTATEDIR@
 lxc_path=@LXCPATH@
 
 getopt=$(getopt -o $shortoptions --longoptions  $longoptions -- "$@")