diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 78aae9c2a0..1f478a46a9 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -6653,7 +6653,6 @@ echo "sysconfdir=$sysconfdir" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "qemu_confdir=$qemu_confdir" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "qemu_datadir=$qemu_datadir" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "qemu_firmwarepath=$firmwarepath" >> $config_host_mak
-echo "qemu_docdir=$qemu_docdir" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "qemu_moddir=$qemu_moddir" >> $config_host_mak
 if test "$mingw32" = "no" ; then
   echo "qemu_localstatedir=$local_statedir" >> $config_host_mak
@@ -8198,6 +8197,7 @@ NINJA=${ninja:-$PWD/ninjatool} $meson setup \
         --mandir "${pre_prefix}$mandir" \
         --sysconfdir "${pre_prefix}$sysconfdir" \
         --localstatedir "${pre_prefix}$local_statedir" \
+        -Ddocdir="${pre_prefix}$docdir" \
         -Dqemu_suffix="$qemu_suffix" \
         -Doptimization=$(if test "$debug" = yes; then echo 0; else echo 2; fi) \
         -Ddebug=$(if test "$debug_info" = yes; then echo true; else echo false; fi) \
diff --git a/docs/meson.build b/docs/meson.build
index 8b059a8e39..50f367349b 100644
--- a/docs/meson.build
+++ b/docs/meson.build
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ if build_docs
   configure_file(output: 'index.html',
                  input: files('index.html.in'),
                  configuration: {'VERSION': meson.project_version()},
-                 install_dir: config_host['qemu_docdir'])
+                 install_dir: qemu_docdir)
   manuals = [ 'devel', 'interop', 'tools', 'specs', 'system', 'user' ]
   man_pages = {
     'interop' : {
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ if build_docs
                           input_dir, output_dir])
     sphinxdocs += this_manual
     if build_docs and manual != 'devel'
-      install_subdir(output_dir, install_dir: config_host['qemu_docdir'])
+      install_subdir(output_dir, install_dir: qemu_docdir)
     endif
 
     these_man_pages = []
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 6bcfafbc1f..abcfd5cd72 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ enable_modules = 'CONFIG_MODULES' in config_host
 enable_static = 'CONFIG_STATIC' in config_host
 build_docs = 'BUILD_DOCS' in config_host
 qemu_datadir = get_option('datadir') / get_option('qemu_suffix')
+qemu_docdir = get_option('docdir') / get_option('qemu_suffix')
 config_host_data = configuration_data()
 genh = []
 
@@ -1182,7 +1183,7 @@ if build_docs
                       input: input,
                       output: output,
                       install: true,
-                      install_dir: config_host['qemu_docdir'] / 'interop',
+                      install_dir: qemu_docdir / 'interop',
                       command: cmd + args)
       endforeach
       alias_target(ext, t)
@@ -1245,6 +1246,7 @@ if targetos != 'windows'
 else
   summary_info += {'local state directory': 'queried at runtime'}
 endif
+summary_info += {'Doc directory':     get_option('docdir')}
 summary_info += {'Build directory':   meson.current_build_dir()}
 summary_info += {'Source path':       meson.current_source_dir()}
 summary_info += {'GIT binary':        config_host['GIT']}
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index f4275691bd..c3120fa359 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 option('qemu_suffix', type : 'string', value: 'qemu',
        description: 'Suffix for QEMU data/modules/config directories (can be empty)')
+option('docdir', type : 'string', value : 'doc',
+       description: 'Base directory for documentation installation (can be empty)')
 option('gettext', type : 'boolean', value : true)
 option('sdl', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')
 option('sdl_image', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')