diff --git a/apps/Makefile.am b/apps/Makefile.am
index d756e10..0547876 100644
--- a/apps/Makefile.am
+++ b/apps/Makefile.am
@@ -90,18 +90,28 @@ EXTRA_DIST += openssl.cnf
 EXTRA_DIST += x509v3.cnf
 
 install-exec-hook:
-	@mkdir -p "$(DESTDIR)/$(OPENSSLDIR)"
-	@for i in cert.pem openssl.cnf x509v3.cnf; do \
-		if [ ! -f "$(DESTDIR)/$(OPENSSLDIR)/$i" ]; then \
-			$(INSTALL) -m 644 "$(srcdir)/$$i" "$(DESTDIR)/$(OPENSSLDIR)/$$i"; \
+	@if [ "@OPENSSLDIR@x" != "x" ]; then \
+		OPENSSLDIR="$(DESTDIR)/@OPENSSLDIR@"; \
+	else \
+		OPENSSLDIR="$(DESTDIR)/$(sysconfdir)/ssl"; \
+	fi; \
+	mkdir -p "$$OPENSSLDIR/certs"; \
+	for i in cert.pem openssl.cnf x509v3.cnf; do \
+		if [ ! -f "$$OPENSSLDIR/$i" ]; then \
+			$(INSTALL) -m 644 "$(srcdir)/$$i" "$$OPENSSLDIR/$$i"; \
 		else \
-			echo " $(DESTDIR)/$(OPENSSLDIR)/$$i already exists, install will not overwrite"; \
+			echo " $$OPENSSLDIR/$$i already exists, install will not overwrite"; \
 		fi \
 	done
 
 uninstall-local:
-	@for i in cert.pem openssl.cnf x509v3.cnf; do \
-		if cmp -s "$(DESTDIR)/$(OPENSSLDIR)/$$i" "$(srcdir)/$$i"; then \
-			rm -f "$(DESTDIR)/$(OPENSSLDIR)/$$i"; \
+	@if [ "@OPENSSLDIR@x" != "x" ]; then \
+		OPENSSLDIR="$(DESTDIR)/@OPENSSLDIR@"; \
+	else \
+		OPENSSLDIR="$(DESTDIR)/$(sysconfdir)/ssl"; \
+	fi; \
+	for i in cert.pem openssl.cnf x509v3.cnf; do \
+		if cmp -s "$$OPENSSLDIR/$$i" "$(srcdir)/$$i"; then \
+			rm -f "$$OPENSSLDIR/$$i"; \
 		fi \
 	done
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4f6fb38..43ef0cd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -57,11 +57,10 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS([err.h])
 AC_ARG_WITH([openssldir],
 	AS_HELP_STRING([--with-openssldir],
 		       [Set the default openssl directory]),
-	OPENSSLDIR="$withval",
-	OPENSSLDIR="$sysconfdir/ssl"
+	OPENSSLDIR="$withval"
+	AC_SUBST(OPENSSLDIR)
 )
-AC_SUBST(OPENSSLDIR)
-AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OPENSSLDIR, "$OPENSSLDIR")
+AM_CONDITIONAL([OPENSSLDIR_DEFINED], [test x$with_openssldir != x])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([extratests],
 	AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-extratests], [Enable extra tests that may be unreliable on some platforms]))
diff --git a/crypto/Makefile.am b/crypto/Makefile.am
index 4fba77b..f8c7108 100644
--- a/crypto/Makefile.am
+++ b/crypto/Makefile.am
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ libcrypto_la_CPPFLAGS += -DOPENSSL_NO_ASM
 endif
 endif
 
+if OPENSSLDIR_DEFINED
+libcrypto_la_CPPFLAGS += -DOPENSSLDIR=\"@OPENSSLDIR@\"
+else
+libcrypto_la_CPPFLAGS += -DOPENSSLDIR=\"$(sysconfdir)/ssl\"
+endif
+
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libcompat.la libcompatnoopt.la
 
 # compatibility functions that need to be built without optimizations