diff --git a/data/meson.build b/data/meson.build
index bf5c409d7..b1e81d1b5 100644
--- a/data/meson.build
+++ b/data/meson.build
@@ -61,6 +61,6 @@ install_data(['mutter-schemas.convert'],
 
 if have_libgudev
   install_data(['61-mutter.rules'],
-    install_dir: join_paths(udevdir, 'rules.d'),
+    install_dir: join_paths(udev_dir, 'rules.d'),
   )
 endif
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 6ba3ab45e..28b7645c7 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -181,7 +181,11 @@ if have_libgudev
   libudev_dep = dependency('libudev', version: udev_req)
   gudev_dep = dependency('gudev-1.0', version: gudev_req)
   udev_dep = dependency('udev')
-  udevdir = udev_dep.get_pkgconfig_variable('udevdir')
+
+  udev_dir = get_option('udev_dir')
+  if udev_dir == ''
+    udev_dir = udev_dep.get_pkgconfig_variable('udevdir')
+  endif
 endif
 
 have_native_backend = get_option('native_backend')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 84e7dcc6c..61d9cb48d 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ option('udev',
   description: 'Enable udev support when using the X11 backend'
 )
 
+option('udev_dir',
+  type: 'string',
+  value: '',
+  description: 'Absolute path of the udev base directory'
+)
+
 option('libwacom',
   type: 'boolean',
   value: true,