diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 05a67c20d937..c79cb20993b0 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -2224,7 +2224,7 @@ foreach target : target_dirs
     endif
 
     emulator = executable(exe_name, exe['sources'],
-               install: not exe_sign,
+               install: true,
                c_args: c_args,
                dependencies: arch_deps + deps + exe['dependencies'],
                objects: lib.extract_all_objects(recursive: true),
@@ -2235,8 +2235,6 @@ foreach target : target_dirs
 
     if exe_sign
       emulators += {exe['name'] : custom_target(exe['name'],
-                   install: true,
-                   install_dir: get_option('bindir'),
                    depends: emulator,
                    output: exe['name'],
                    command: [
@@ -2246,6 +2244,11 @@ foreach target : target_dirs
                      meson.current_source_dir() / 'accel/hvf/entitlements.plist'
                    ])
       }
+
+      meson.add_install_script('scripts/entitlement.sh', '--install',
+                               get_option('bindir') / exe_name,
+                               get_option('bindir') / exe['name'],
+                               meson.current_source_dir() / 'accel/hvf/entitlements.plist')
     else
       emulators += {exe['name']: emulator}
     endif
diff --git a/scripts/entitlement.sh b/scripts/entitlement.sh
index c540fa6435fb..f7aaaf27662e 100755
--- a/scripts/entitlement.sh
+++ b/scripts/entitlement.sh
@@ -2,12 +2,24 @@
 #
 # Helper script for the build process to apply entitlements
 
+in_place=:
+if [ "$1" = --install ]; then
+  shift
+  in_place=false
+fi
+
 SRC="$1"
 DST="$2"
 ENTITLEMENT="$3"
 
-trap 'rm "$DST.tmp"' exit
-cp -af "$SRC" "$DST.tmp"
-codesign --entitlements "$ENTITLEMENT" --force -s - "$DST.tmp"
-mv "$DST.tmp" "$DST"
+if $in_place; then
+  trap 'rm "$DST.tmp"' exit
+  cp -af "$SRC" "$DST.tmp"
+  SRC="$DST.tmp"
+else
+  cd "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX"
+fi
+
+codesign --entitlements "$ENTITLEMENT" --force -s - "$SRC"
+mv -f "$SRC" "$DST"
 trap '' exit