diff --git a/src/main/python/pybuilder/core.py b/src/main/python/pybuilder/core.py
index f66ab4bc7..6958250cf 100644
--- a/src/main/python/pybuilder/core.py
+++ b/src/main/python/pybuilder/core.py
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@ def __init__(self, basedir, version="1.0.dev0", name=None):
         self._requires_python = ""
         self._obsoletes = []
         self._explicit_namespaces = []
+        self._package_dir = {}
         self._properties = {"verbose": False}
         self._install_dependencies = set()
         self._build_dependencies = set()
@@ -374,6 +375,14 @@ def explicit_namespaces(self):
     def explicit_namespaces(self, value):
         self._explicit_namespaces = as_list(value)
 
+    @property
+    def package_dir(self):
+        return self._package_dir
+
+    @package_dir.setter
+    def package_dir(self, value):
+        self._package_dir = dict(value)
+
     @property
     def dist_version(self):
         return self._dist_version
diff --git a/src/main/python/pybuilder/plugins/python/distutils_plugin.py b/src/main/python/pybuilder/plugins/python/distutils_plugin.py
index 4e009e0ee..12e0f53e4 100644
--- a/src/main/python/pybuilder/plugins/python/distutils_plugin.py
+++ b/src/main/python/pybuilder/plugins/python/distutils_plugin.py
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ def run(self):
         url = $url,
         scripts = $scripts,
         packages = $packages,
+        package_dir = $package_dir,
         namespace_packages = $namespace_packages,
         py_modules = $modules,
         classifiers = $classifiers,
@@ -175,6 +176,7 @@ def render_setup_script(project):
         "url": as_str(default(project.url)),
         "scripts": build_scripts_string(project),
         "packages": build_packages_string(project),
+        "package_dir": build_package_dir_string(project),
         "namespace_packages": build_namespace_packages_string(project),
         "modules": build_modules_string(project),
         "classifiers": build_classifiers_string(project),
@@ -493,6 +495,10 @@ def build_namespace_packages_string(project):
     return build_string_from_array([pkg for pkg in project.explicit_namespaces])
 
 
+def build_package_dir_string(project):
+    return build_string_from_dict(project.package_dir)
+
+
 def build_packages_string(project):
     return build_string_from_array([pkg for pkg in project.list_packages()])
 
@@ -577,6 +583,8 @@ def build_string_from_array(arr, indent=12):
 
 
 def build_string_from_dict(d, indent=12):
+    if not d:
+        return "{}"
     element_separator = ",\n"
     element_separator += " " * indent
     map_elements = []
diff --git a/src/main/python/pybuilder/reactor.py b/src/main/python/pybuilder/reactor.py
index 272e43761..c55c16733 100644
--- a/src/main/python/pybuilder/reactor.py
+++ b/src/main/python/pybuilder/reactor.py
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ def apply_project_attributes(self):
         self.propagate_property("license")
         self.propagate_property("url")
         self.propagate_property("explicit_namespaces")
+        self.propagate_property("package_dir")
         self.propagate_property("requires_python")
         self.propagate_property("obsoletes")
 
diff --git a/src/unittest/python/plugins/python/distutils_plugin_tests.py b/src/unittest/python/plugins/python/distutils_plugin_tests.py
index 41931e503..d500390b9 100644
--- a/src/unittest/python/plugins/python/distutils_plugin_tests.py
+++ b/src/unittest/python/plugins/python/distutils_plugin_tests.py
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ def run(self):
             'spam',
             'eggs'
         ],
+        package_dir = {},
         namespace_packages = [
             'foo.bar',
             'quick.brown.fox'
@@ -491,6 +492,7 @@ def run(self):
             'spam',
             'eggs'
         ],
+        package_dir = {},
         namespace_packages = [
             'foo.bar',
             'quick.brown.fox'