diff --git a/systemd/system/meson.build b/systemd/system/meson.build
index 0e9885b0f..81081bec4 100644
--- a/systemd/system/meson.build
+++ b/systemd/system/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 systemd_system_services_dir = systemd.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'systemdsystemunitdir',
-                                                   pkgconfig_define: [ 'prefix', prefix])
+                                                   pkgconfig_define: [ 'rootprefix', prefix])
 
 systemd_config = configuration_data()
 systemd_config.set('PW_MEDIA_SESSION_BINARY', media_session_bindir / 'pipewire-media-session')