diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 581873c..240f1d6 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export TEST_OS
 TARFILE=$(RPM_NAME)-$(VERSION).tar.xz
 NODE_CACHE=$(RPM_NAME)-node-$(VERSION).tar.xz
 SPEC=$(RPM_NAME).spec
+PREFIX ?= /usr/local
 APPSTREAMFILE=org.cockpit-project.$(PACKAGE_NAME).metainfo.xml
 VM_IMAGE=$(CURDIR)/test/images/$(TEST_OS)
 # stamp file to check for node_modules/
@@ -91,12 +92,12 @@ clean:
 	rm -f po/LINGUAS
 
 install: $(WEBPACK_TEST) po/LINGUAS
-	mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)/usr/share/cockpit/$(PACKAGE_NAME)
-	cp -r dist/* $(DESTDIR)/usr/share/cockpit/$(PACKAGE_NAME)
-	mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)/usr/share/metainfo/
+	mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/share/cockpit/$(PACKAGE_NAME)
+	cp -r dist/* $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/share/cockpit/$(PACKAGE_NAME)
+	mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/share/metainfo/
 	msgfmt --xml -d po \
 		--template $(APPSTREAMFILE) \
-		-o $(DESTDIR)/usr/share/metainfo/$(APPSTREAMFILE)
+		-o $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/share/metainfo/$(APPSTREAMFILE)
 
 # this requires a built source tree and avoids having to install anything system-wide
 devel-install: $(WEBPACK_TEST)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a0524bb..536fbe7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ make
 
 # Installing
 
-`make install` compiles and installs the package in `/usr/share/cockpit/`. The
+`make install` compiles and installs the package in `/usr/local/share/cockpit/`. The
 convenience targets `srpm` and `rpm` build the source and binary rpms,
 respectively. Both of these make use of the `dist` target, which is used
 to generate the distribution tarball. In `production` mode, source files are
diff --git a/packaging/cockpit-starter-kit.spec.in b/packaging/cockpit-starter-kit.spec.in
index fafc3c1..ad5539f 100644
--- a/packaging/cockpit-starter-kit.spec.in
+++ b/packaging/cockpit-starter-kit.spec.in
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ rm -rf dist
 ESLINT=0 NODE_ENV=production make
 
 %install
-%make_install
+%make_install PREFIX=/usr
 
 # drop source maps, they are large and just for debugging
 find %{buildroot}%{_datadir}/cockpit/ -name '*.map' | xargs --no-run-if-empty rm --verbose