diff --git a/completion/meson.build b/completion/meson.build
index cdcfa968a..db279d1dc 100644
--- a/completion/meson.build
+++ b/completion/meson.build
@@ -1,28 +1,28 @@
 generate_completions_program = find_program('generate_completions.py')
 
-if bash_completion_dep.found()
-  bashcompletionsdir = bash_completion_dep.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'completionsdir')
-else
-  bashcompletionsdir = get_option('datadir') / 'bash-completion' / 'completions'
-  message('bash-completion not found: using', get_option('prefix') / bashcompletionsdir, 'as a falback install directory')
-endif
-
-if fish_dep.found()
-  fishcompletionsdir = fish_dep.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'completionsdir')
-else
-  fishcompletionsdir = get_option('datadir') / 'fish' / 'completions'
-  message('fish not found: using', get_option('prefix') / fishcompletionsdir, 'as a fallback install directory')
+if bashcompletionsdir != ''
+  custom_target(
+    'bash-completion',
+    capture: true,
+    command: [generate_completions_program, meson.global_source_root() / 'src', 'bash'],
+    depends: [toolbox_go],
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: bashcompletionsdir,
+    output: 'toolbox'
+)
 endif
 
-custom_target(
-  'bash-completion',
-  capture: true,
-  command: [generate_completions_program, meson.global_source_root() / 'src', 'bash'],
-  depends: [toolbox_go],
-  install: true,
-  install_dir: bashcompletionsdir,
-  output: 'toolbox'
+if fishcompletionsdir != ''
+  custom_target(
+    'fish-completion',
+    capture: true,
+    command: [generate_completions_program, meson.global_source_root() / 'src', 'fish'],
+    depends: [toolbox_go],
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: fishcompletionsdir,
+    output: 'toolbox.fish'
 )
+endif
 
 custom_target(
   'zsh-completion',
@@ -30,16 +30,6 @@ custom_target(
   command: [generate_completions_program, meson.global_source_root() / 'src', 'zsh'],
   depends: [toolbox_go],
   install: true,
-  install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'zsh' / 'site-functions',
+  install_dir: zshcompletionsdir,
   output: '_toolbox'
 )
-
-custom_target(
-  'fish-completion',
-  capture: true,
-  command: [generate_completions_program, meson.global_source_root() / 'src', 'fish'],
-  depends: [toolbox_go],
-  install: true,
-  install_dir: fishcompletionsdir,
-  output: 'toolbox.fish'
-)
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 1a373801f..7c3b3b8af 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -18,8 +18,21 @@ go_md2man = find_program('go-md2man')
 shellcheck = find_program('shellcheck', required: false)
 skopeo = find_program('skopeo', required: false)
 
-bash_completion_dep = dependency('bash-completion', required: false)
-fish_dep = dependency('fish', required: false)
+bashcompletionsdir = get_option('bash_completions_dir')
+if bashcompletionsdir == ''
+  bash_completion_dep = dependency('bash-completion', required: false)
+  if bash_completion_dep.found()
+    bashcompletionsdir = bash_completion_dep.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'completionsdir')
+  endif
+endif
+
+fishcompletionsdir = get_option('fish_completions_dir')
+if fishcompletionsdir == ''
+  fish_completion_dep = dependency('fish', required: false)
+  if fish_completion_dep.found()
+    fishcompletionsdir = fish_completion_dep.get_variable(pkgconfig: 'completionsdir')
+  endif
+endif
 
 migration_path_for_coreos_toolbox = get_option('migration_path_for_coreos_toolbox')
 profiledir = get_option('profile_dir')
@@ -33,6 +46,11 @@ if tmpfilesdir == '' or not fs.exists('/run/.containerenv')
   endif
 endif
 
+zshcompletionsdir = get_option('zsh_completions_dir')
+if zshcompletionsdir == ''
+  zshcompletionsdir = join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'zsh', 'site-functions')
+endif
+
 toolbox_sh = files('toolbox')
 
 if shellcheck.found()
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 9afcc7b9c..b463d65eb 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+option(
+  'bash_completions_dir',
+  description: 'Directory for Bash completion scripts',
+  type: 'string',
+)
+
+option(
+  'fish_completions_dir',
+  description: 'Directory for fish completion scripts',
+  type: 'string',
+)
+
 option(
   'migration_path_for_coreos_toolbox',
   description: 'Offer a migration path to users of github.com/coreos/toolbox',
@@ -17,3 +29,9 @@ option(
   description: 'Directory for system-wide tmpfiles.d(5) files',
   type: 'string',
 )
+
+option(
+  'zsh_completions_dir',
+  description: 'Directory for Z shell completion scripts (default=$datadir/zsh/site-functions)',
+  type: 'string',
+)