diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 7d37e7eb..337a15da 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -596,6 +596,12 @@ pc_requires = []
 if not glib_internal
   pc_requires += glib_dep
 endif
+signalsfile = docdir / 'signals.txt'
+if signalsfile.startswith('/')
+  signalsfile = signalsfile.replace(get_option('prefix'), '${prefix}')
+else
+  signalsfile = '${prefix}' / signalsfile
+endif
 pc.generate(filebase : 'irssi-1',
   name : 'Irssi',
   description : 'Irssi chat client',
@@ -603,7 +609,7 @@ pc.generate(filebase : 'irssi-1',
   requires : pc_requires,
   variables : [
     'irssimoduledir=${libdir}' / incdir / 'modules',
-    'signalsfile=${prefix}' / docdir / 'signals.txt'
+    'signalsfile=' + signalsfile
   ])
 
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