diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 608ad02c8b268f1ffa6e0ba62dea7da2eaed0636..34a2f2ce68abe648f79ccbf93505f1ccf8c4d744 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -140,9 +140,7 @@ if test x$enable_systemd_integration = xyes; then
   AC_SUBST(SYSTEMD_UNIT_DIR)
 fi
 
-AC_ARG_WITH([runtimedir],
-            AC_HELP_STRING([--with-runtimedir=DIR], [runtime data dir [LOCALSTATEDIR/run]]),
-            [plymouthruntimedir=${withval}/plymouth], [plymouthruntimedir=""])
+AC_ARG_WITH([runtimedir], [], [AC_MSG_ERROR([--with-runtimedir is obsolete, use --runstatedir instead])], [])
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(system-root-install, AS_HELP_STRING([--with-system-root-install],[Install client in /bin and daemon in /sbin]),with_system_root_install=${withval},with_system_root_install=no)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(WITH_SYSTEM_ROOT_INSTALL,  [test "$with_system_root_install" = yes])
@@ -150,16 +148,11 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(WITH_SYSTEM_ROOT_INSTALL,  [test "$with_system_root_install" = ye
 if test x$with_system_root_install = xyes; then
   plymouthclientdir=/bin
   plymouthdaemondir=/sbin
-  if (test -z "${plymouthruntimedir}"); then
-    plymouthruntimedir=/run/plymouth
-  fi
 else
   plymouthclientdir=$bindir
   plymouthdaemondir=$sbindir
-  if (test -z "${plymouthruntimedir}"); then
-    plymouthruntimedir=$localstatedir/run/plymouth
-  fi
 fi
+plymouthruntimedir=$runstatedir/plymouth
 AC_SUBST(plymouthclientdir)
 AC_SUBST(plymouthdaemondir)
 AC_SUBST(plymouthruntimedir)
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index ad3655d5944cebad36761cee44d9d79241a6d942..abd7a4ce2aafa21b73303b9cc6d3639c58706a90 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ escrow_PROGRAMS = plymouthd-fd-escrow
 
 plymouthd_fd_escrow_SOURCES = plymouthd-fd-escrow.c
 
-plymouthdrundir = $(localstatedir)/run/plymouth
+plymouthdrundir = $(plymouthruntimedir)
 plymouthdspooldir = $(localstatedir)/spool/plymouth
 plymouthdtimedir = $(localstatedir)/lib/plymouth