diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6683fb1..cf890c7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -66,13 +66,9 @@ INSTALL_PROG=$(INSTALL) -m755
 INSTALL_DOC=$(INSTALL) -m644
 
 # DESTDIR set in debian make system
-PREFIX?=$(DESTDIR)/usr
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET),darwin)
-SBINDIR=$(PREFIX)/local/sbin
-else
-SBINDIR=$(PREFIX)/sbin
-endif
+PREFIX?=$(DESTDIR)/$(CONFIG_PREFIX)
 
+SBINDIR=$(PREFIX)/sbin
 MANDIR?=$(PREFIX)/share/man
 MAN1DIR=$(MANDIR)/man1
 MAN7DIR=$(MANDIR)/man7
diff --git a/config.mak.in b/config.mak.in
index 7db29d2..8e4f243 100644
--- a/config.mak.in
+++ b/config.mak.in
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 # @configure_input@
 
 CONFIG_HOST=@host@
+CONFIG_PREFIX=@prefix@
+
 PACKAGE_VERSION=@PACKAGE_VERSION@
 CC=@CC@
 AR=@AR@
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b4c5604..b22449a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -13,13 +13,24 @@ AC_CHECK_TOOL([AR], [ar], [false])
 AC_CHECK_TOOL([WINDRES], [windres], [windres])
 
 case "$host_os" in
-    *-solaris*)
+    solaris*)
         # Was in Makefile with the test `uname` -eq "SunOS"
         # and comment "For OpenSolaris (Solaris too?)"
         LIBS="-lsocket -lnsl $LIBS"
         ;;
 esac
 
+# This replicates the old config logic from the Makefile.
+# TODO: remove all this and just use the autotools default prefix
+# (which is "/usr/local")
+case "$host_os" in
+    darwin*)
+        ;;
+    *)
+        AC_PREFIX_DEFAULT(/usr)
+        ;;
+esac
+
 # TODO: ideally, should use AC_ARG_ENABLE
 AC_ARG_WITH([edgex],
     AS_HELP_STRING([--with-edgex], [Build for Ubiquity-X]),