diff --git a/Configure.pl b/Configure.pl
index 24b8127a4e..762d27b95e 100755
--- a/Configure.pl
+++ b/Configure.pl
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ BEGIN
         'github-user=s',    'nqp-repo=s',
         'moar-repo=s',      'expand=s',
         'out=s',            'set-var=s@',
-        'relocatable',
+        'relocatable',      'nqp-home=s',
       )
       or do {
         print_help();
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ sub print_help {
     --sdkroot=dir      When given, use for searching build tools here, e.g.
                        nqp, java etc.
     --sysroot=dir      When given, use for searching runtime components here
+    --nqp-home=dir     Directory to install NQP files to
     --backends=list    Backends to use: $backends
     --gen-moar         Download, build, and install a copy of MoarVM to use before writing the Makefile
     --moar-option='--option=value'
diff --git a/tools/build/gen-js-makefile.nqp b/tools/build/gen-js-makefile.nqp
index 4ec4d93bfc..e1cc85c25f 100644
--- a/tools/build/gen-js-makefile.nqp
+++ b/tools/build/gen-js-makefile.nqp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ sub combine(:$sources, :$stage, :$file, :$gen-version = 0) {
 
     rule($target, $sources,
         make_parents($target),
-        $gen-version ?? "\$(PERL5) \@script(gen-version.pl)@ \$(PREFIX) \$(NQP_LIB_DIR) > $version" !! '',
+        $gen-version ?? "\$(PERL5) \@script(gen-version.pl)@ \$(PREFIX) \$(NQP_HOME) \$(NQP_LIB_DIR) > $version" !! '',
         "\$(PERL5) \@script(gen-cat.pl)@ js \@nfp($sources)@ {$gen-version ?? $version !! ''} > \@nfp($target)@"
     ); 
 }
diff --git a/tools/build/gen-jvm-properties.pl b/tools/build/gen-jvm-properties.pl
index 0cc6e7eeba..76a3ae0f75 100755
--- a/tools/build/gen-jvm-properties.pl
+++ b/tools/build/gen-jvm-properties.pl
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 binmode STDOUT, ':utf8';
 
-my ($prefix, $thirdPartyJars) = @ARGV;
+my ($prefix, $nqp_home, $thirdPartyJars) = @ARGV;
 
 my $cpsep = $^O eq 'MSWin32' ? ';' : ':';
 my $jardir = ".";
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 my $slash = File::Spec->catdir('', '');
 
 if ($prefix ne '.') {
-    $jardir = File::Spec->catdir($prefix, qw<share nqp runtime>);
-    $libdir = File::Spec->catdir($prefix, qw<share nqp lib>);
+    $jardir = File::Spec->catdir($nqp_home, 'runtime');
+    $libdir = File::Spec->catdir($nqp_home, 'lib');
 	my @jars = grep { s/^.*\Q${slash}\E// } split($cpsep, $thirdPartyJars);
 	$thirdPartyJars = join($cpsep, grep { s/^/${jardir}${slash}/ } @jars);
 }
diff --git a/tools/build/gen-version.pl b/tools/build/gen-version.pl
index 735f5a28b0..6c53aa5f1a 100755
--- a/tools/build/gen-version.pl
+++ b/tools/build/gen-version.pl
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ =head1 TITLE
 use POSIX 'strftime';
 
 my $prefix = shift // '';
+my $nqp_home = shift // '';
 my $libdir = shift // '';
 
 open(my $fh, '<', 'VERSION') or die $!;
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ =head1 TITLE
 sub hll-config(\$config) {
     \$config<version>       := '$VERSION';
     \$config<prefix>        := '$prefix';
+    \$config<nqp_home>      := '$nqp_home';
     \$config<libdir>        := '$libdir';
     \$config<source-digest> := '$source_digest';
 }
diff --git a/tools/lib/NQP/Config/NQP.pm b/tools/lib/NQP/Config/NQP.pm
index 990d02a8a5..de27644286 100644
--- a/tools/lib/NQP/Config/NQP.pm
+++ b/tools/lib/NQP/Config/NQP.pm
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ sub configure_backends {
 
 sub configure_refine_vars {
     my $self = shift;
+    my $config = $self->{config};
 
     unless ( $self->cfg('prefix') ) {
         my $moar_conf   = $self->moar_config;
@@ -66,6 +67,13 @@ sub configure_refine_vars {
     }
 
     $self->SUPER::configure_refine_vars(@_);
+
+    $config->{nqp_home} = $self->nfp(
+        File::Spec->rel2abs(
+          $config->{nqp_home} ||
+          File::Spec->catdir( $config->{'prefix'}, 'share', 'nqp' )
+        )
+    );
 }
 
 sub configure_misc {
@@ -84,17 +92,6 @@ sub configure_misc {
 
     $config->{moar_stage0} = $self->nfp( "src/vm/moar/stage0", no_quote => 1 );
     $config->{jvm_stage0}  = $self->nfp( "src/vm/jvm/stage0",  no_quote => 1 );
-
-    if ( !$config->{nqplibdir} ) {
-        $config->{nqplibdir} = $self->nfp(
-            (
-                  $self->opt('libdir')
-                ? $self->opt('libdir') . "/nqp"
-                : '$(NQP_HOME)/lib'
-            ),
-            no_quote => 1,
-        );
-    }
 }
 
 sub configure_moar_backend {
@@ -117,10 +114,7 @@ sub configure_moar_backend {
     }
     else {
         my $qchar = $config->{quote};
-        $imoar->{config}{static_nqp_home} =
-          File::Spec->rel2abs(
-            File::Spec->catdir( $config->{'prefix'}, 'share', 'nqp' )
-          );
+        $imoar->{config}{static_nqp_home} = $config->{nqp_home};
         $imoar->{config}{static_nqp_home_define} =
           '-DSTATIC_NQP_HOME='
           . $qchar . $self->c_escape_string( $imoar->{config}{static_nqp_home} ) . $qchar;
diff --git a/tools/templates/Makefile-common.in b/tools/templates/Makefile-common.in
index 3574441e12..564b3e4505 100644
--- a/tools/templates/Makefile-common.in
+++ b/tools/templates/Makefile-common.in
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ RM_L		= @rm_l@
 SYSROOT         = @nfp(@sysroot@)@
 PREFIX          = @nfp(@prefix@)@
 BIN_DIR         = @nfp(@prefix@/bin)@
-NQP_HOME        = @nfp($(PREFIX)/share/nqp)@
-NQP_LIB_DIR     = @nfp(@nqplibdir@)@
+NQP_HOME        = @nfp(@nqp_home@)@
+NQP_LIB_DIR     = @nfp($(NQP_HOME)/lib)@
 PROVE_OPTIONS   = -j0$(TEST_JOBS)
 PROVE           = prove $(PROVE_OPTIONS)
 BASE_DIR		= @nfp(@base_dir@)@
diff --git a/tools/templates/jvm/Makefile.in b/tools/templates/jvm/Makefile.in
index 9b50f8cad1..2898bc3839 100644
--- a/tools/templates/jvm/Makefile.in
+++ b/tools/templates/jvm/Makefile.in
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ j-all: $(ALL_OUTPUT) $(J_RUNNER) $(P5QREGEX_JAR)
 j-install: j-all
 	$(MKPATH) @q($(DESTDIR)$(BIN_DIR))@
 	$(MKPATH) @q($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_JAR_DIR))@
+	$(MKPATH) @q($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_HOME))@
 	$(MKPATH) @q($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_LIB_DIR))@
 	$(CP) @q($(ASM))@ @q($(ASMTREE))@ @q($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_JAR_DIR))@
 	$(CP) @q($(JLINE))@ @q($(JNA))@ @q($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_JAR_DIR))@
@@ -131,8 +132,8 @@ j-install: j-all
 $(RUNTIME_JAR): $(RUNTIME_JAVAS) @mkquot(@script(gen-jvm-properties.pl)@)@
 	$(PERL5) -MExtUtils::Command -e mkpath bin
 	$(JAVAC) --release 9 -cp @q($(THIRDPARTY_JARS))@ -g -d bin -encoding UTF8 $(RUNTIME_JAVAS)
-	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-jvm-properties.pl)@)@ . @q($(THIRDPARTY_JARS))@ > jvmconfig.properties
-	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-jvm-properties.pl)@)@ @nfpq(@prefix@)@ @q($(THIRDPARTY_JARS))@ > @nfpq(bin/jvmconfig.properties)@
+	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-jvm-properties.pl)@)@ . @nfpq($(NQP_HOME))@ @q($(THIRDPARTY_JARS))@ > jvmconfig.properties
+	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-jvm-properties.pl)@)@ @nfpq(@prefix@)@ @nfpq($(NQP_HOME))@ @q($(THIRDPARTY_JARS))@ > @nfpq(bin/jvmconfig.properties)@
 	$(JAR) cf0 nqp-runtime.jar -C @nfp(bin/)@ .
 
 J_CLEANUPS = *.class *.jar @q($(J_STAGE1_DIR))@ @q($(J_STAGE2_DIR))@ bin nqp nqp.bat jvmconfig.properties @q($(J_RUNNER))@
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ $(J_STAGE1_DIR): $(J_STAGE1_OUTPUT)
 
 @nfp($(J_STAGE1_DIR)/$(NQP_JAR):)@ $(J_STAGE0_DIR) @nfp($(J_STAGE1_DIR)/$(P6QREGEX_JAR))@ $(J_SOURCES)
 	$(MKPATH) $(J_STAGE1_DIR)
-	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-version.pl)@)@ $(PREFIX) $(NQP_LIB_DIR) > @nfp($(J_STAGE1_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@
+	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-version.pl)@)@ @q($(PREFIX))@ @q($(NQP_HOME))@ @q($(NQP_LIB_DIR))@ > @nfp($(J_STAGE1_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@
 	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-cat.pl)@)@ jvm $(J_NQP_SOURCES) @nfp($(J_STAGE1_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@ > @nfp($(J_STAGE1_DIR)/$(NQP_COMBINED))@
 	$(J_STAGE0_NQP) --module-path=$(J_STAGE1_DIR) --setting-path=$(J_STAGE1_DIR) \
 	    --setting=NQPCORE --target=jar --no-regex-lib --stable-sc=stage1 --javaclass=nqp \
@@ -272,7 +273,7 @@ $(J_STAGE2_DIR): $(J_STAGE2_OUTPUT)
 
 @nfp($(J_STAGE2_DIR)/$(NQP_JAR):)@ $(J_STAGE1_DIR) @nfp($(J_STAGE2_DIR)/$(P6QREGEX_JAR))@ $(J_SOURCES)
 	$(MKPATH) $(J_STAGE2_DIR)
-	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-version.pl)@)@ $(PREFIX) $(NQP_LIB_DIR) > @nfp($(J_STAGE2_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@
+	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-version.pl)@)@ @q($(PREFIX))@ @q($(NQP_HOME))@ @q($(NQP_LIB_DIR))@ > @nfp($(J_STAGE2_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@
 	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-cat.pl)@)@ jvm $(J_NQP_SOURCES) @nfp($(J_STAGE2_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@ > @nfp($(J_STAGE2_DIR)/$(NQP_COMBINED))@
 	$(J_STAGE1_NQP) --module-path=$(J_STAGE2_DIR) --setting-path=$(J_STAGE2_DIR) \
 	    --setting=NQPCORE --target=jar --no-regex-lib --javaclass=nqp \
diff --git a/tools/templates/moar/Makefile.in b/tools/templates/moar/Makefile.in
index 2c7ee6627f..01c80d4cf5 100644
--- a/tools/templates/moar/Makefile.in
+++ b/tools/templates/moar/Makefile.in
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ m-all: $(NQP_MOAR) $(M_BUILD_RUNNER) $(M_INST_NQP_M) $(M_INST_NQP) $(P5QREGEX_MO
 
 m-install: m-all @@configure_script@@
 	$(MKPATH) @q($(DESTDIR)$(BIN_DIR))@
+	$(MKPATH) @q($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_HOME))@
 	$(MKPATH) @q($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_LIB_DIR))@
 	$(MKPATH) @nfpq($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_LIB_DIR)/profiler)@
 	$(CP) $(NQP_MO_MOAR) @q($(DESTDIR)$(NQP_LIB_DIR))@
@@ -209,7 +210,7 @@ $(M_STAGE1_DIR): $(M_STAGE1_OUTPUT)
 
 @nfp($(M_STAGE1_DIR)/$(NQP_MOAR))@: $(M_STAGE0_DIR) @nfp($(M_STAGE1_DIR)/$(P6QREGEX_MOAR))@ @nfp($(M_STAGE1_DIR)/$(QAST_MOAR))@ $(M_SOURCES)
 	$(MKPATH) @nfpq($(M_STAGE1_DIR)/gen)@
-	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-version.pl)@)@ @q($(PREFIX))@ @q($(NQP_LIB_DIR))@ > @nfpq($(M_STAGE1_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@
+	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-version.pl)@)@ @q($(PREFIX))@ @q($(NQP_HOME))@ @q($(NQP_LIB_DIR))@ > @nfpq($(M_STAGE1_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@
 	$(PERL5) $(M_GEN_CAT) stage1 $(M_NQP_SOURCES) @nfpq($(M_STAGE1_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@ > @nfpq($(M_STAGE1_DIR)/$(NQP_COMBINED))@
 	$(M_STAGE0_NQP) --module-path=$(M_STAGE1_DIR) --setting-path=$(M_STAGE1_DIR) \
 	    --setting=NQPCORE --target=mbc --no-regex-lib --stable-sc=stage1 \
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ $(M_STAGE2_DIR): $(M_STAGE1_OUTPUT)
 
 @nfp($(M_STAGE2_DIR)/$(NQP_MOAR))@: $(M_STAGE1_DIR) @nfp($(M_STAGE2_DIR)/$(QAST_MOAR))@ @nfp($(M_STAGE2_DIR)/$(P6QREGEX_MOAR))@ $(M_SOURCES)
 	$(MKPATH) @nfpq($(M_STAGE2_DIR)/gen)@
-	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-version.pl)@)@ @q($(PREFIX))@ @q($(NQP_LIB_DIR))@ > @nfpq($(M_STAGE2_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@
+	$(PERL5) @shquot(@script(gen-version.pl)@)@ @q($(PREFIX))@ @q($(NQP_HOME))@ @q($(NQP_LIB_DIR))@ > @nfpq($(M_STAGE2_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@
 	$(PERL5) $(M_GEN_CAT) stage2 $(M_NQP_SOURCES) @nfpq($(M_STAGE2_DIR)/nqp-config.nqp)@ > @nfpq($(M_STAGE2_DIR)/$(NQP_COMBINED))@
 	$(M_STAGE1_NQP) --module-path=$(M_STAGE2_DIR) --setting-path=$(M_STAGE2_DIR) \
 	    --setting=NQPCORE --target=mbc --no-regex-lib \