diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index a5816cbd..0ecd6811 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ bindir=@bindir@
 sbindir=@sbindir@
 sysconfdir=@sysconfdir@
 localstatedir=@localstatedir@
+runstatedir=@runstatedir@
 docdir=@prefix@/doc
 
 srcdir := @srcdir@
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ cscope:
 # Install
 
 install: all
-	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)/$(sbindir) $(DESTDIR)/$(sysconfdir) $(DESTDIR)/@runtimedir@
+	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)/$(sbindir) $(DESTDIR)/$(sysconfdir) $(DESTDIR)/$(runstatedir)
 	for BIN in bird @CLIENT@ ; do								\
 		$(INSTALL_PROGRAM) $(exedir)/$$BIN $(DESTDIR)/$(sbindir)/$$BIN ;		\
 	done
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 943d3a7b..61fe8155 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([sysconfig],
 )
 
 AC_ARG_WITH([runtimedir],
-  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-runtimedir=PATH], [path for runtime files @<:@LOCALSTATEDIR/run@:>@])],
-  [runtimedir="$with_runtimedir"],
-  [runtimedir="\$(localstatedir)/run"]
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-runtimedir=PATH], [run-state data, obsolete variant of --runstatedir])],
+  [runstatedir="$with_runtimedir"],
+  []
 )
 
 AC_ARG_WITH([iproutedir],
@@ -82,7 +82,10 @@ exedir=.
 AC_SUBST([objdir])
 AC_SUBST([exedir])
 AC_SUBST([srcdir])
-AC_SUBST([runtimedir])
+
+# Workaround for older Autoconfs that do not define runstatedir
+AS_IF([test -z "${runstatedir}"], [runstatedir='${localstatedir}/run'])
+AC_SUBST([runstatedir])
 
 
 if test "$enable_debug" = yes ; then
@@ -90,7 +93,7 @@ if test "$enable_debug" = yes ; then
   CONTROL_SOCKET="bird.ctl"
 else
   CONFIG_FILE="\$(sysconfdir)/bird.conf"
-  CONTROL_SOCKET="$runtimedir/bird.ctl"
+  CONTROL_SOCKET="\$(runstatedir)/bird.ctl"
 fi
 AC_SUBST([CONFIG_FILE])
 AC_SUBST([CONTROL_SOCKET])