--- a/configure.ac	
+++ a/configure.ac	
@@ -65,6 +65,22 @@ 
 AM_CHECK_PYTHON_HEADERS(,[AC_MSG_ERROR(could not find Python headers)])
 AC_SUBST([PYTHON_INCLUDES])
 
+dnl ****
+dnl custom gajim pyfiles installation
+dnl ****
+AC_ARG_WITH(custom-basedir,
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-custom-basedir=DIR],
+	[install gajim sources in DIR instead of DATADIR/gajim/src])]
+,
+	AC_SUBST([gajim_basedir], [$withval])
+,
+	AC_SUBST([gajim_basedir], [\${datadir}/\${PACKAGE}/src])
+)
+
+test "x${gajim_basedir}" = "xyes" -o "x${gajim_basedir}" = "xno" && \
+	AC_MSG_FAILURE([--with-custom-basedir=DIR needs a path as argument])
+
+AS_AC_EXPAND(GAJIM_BASEDIR, "${gajim_basedir}")
 AS_AC_EXPAND(DATADIR, "${datadir}")
 AS_AC_EXPAND(LIBDIR, "${libdir}")
 AS_AC_EXPAND(DOCDIR, "${docdir}")
@@ -95,4 +111,9 @@ 
 ***************************** 
   Build features:
     trayicon ......... ${have_trayicon}
+
+  Installation:
+    Python modules ... ${GAJIM_BASEDIR}
+    C modules ........ ${LIBDIR}/gajim
+    Data ............. ${DATADIR}/gajim/data
 *****************************"
--- a/data/Makefile.am	
+++ a/data/Makefile.am	
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ 
 desktop_in_files = gajim.desktop.in.in 
 desktop_DATA = $(desktop_in_files:.desktop.in.in=.desktop)
 
-installdefsdir = $(pkgdatadir)/src/common
+installdefsdir = $(gajim_basedir)/common
 installdefs_DATA = defs.py
 
 soundsdir = $(pkgdatadir)/data/sounds
--- a/scripts/gajim.in	
+++ a/scripts/gajim.in	
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@ 
 export datadir=@DATADIR@/gajim
 PYTHON_EXEC=@PYTHON@
 
-cd ${datadir}/src
+cd @GAJIM_BASEDIR@
 export PYTHONPATH="$PYTHONPATH:@LIBDIR@/gajim"
 exec ${PYTHON_EXEC} -OO $APP.py "$@"
--- a/src/Makefile.am	
+++ a/src/Makefile.am	
@@ -26,26 +26,26 @@ 
 		    --override $(srcdir)/trayicon.override \
 		    $(srcdir)/trayicon.defs > $@
 endif
-gajimsrcdir = $(pkgdatadir)/src
+gajimsrcdir = $(gajim_basedir)
 gajimsrc_PYTHON = $(srcdir)/*.py
 
-gajimsrc1dir = $(pkgdatadir)/src/common
+gajimsrc1dir = $(gajim_basedir)/common
 gajimsrc1_PYTHON = \
 				$(srcdir)/common/*.py
 
-gajimsrc2dir = $(pkgdatadir)/src/common/xmpp
+gajimsrc2dir = $(gajim_basedir)/common/xmpp
 gajimsrc2_PYTHON = \
 				$(srcdir)/common/xmpp/*.py
 
-gajimsrc3dir = $(pkgdatadir)/src/common/zeroconf
+gajimsrc3dir = $(gajim_basedir)/common/zeroconf
 gajimsrc3_PYTHON = \
 				$(srcdir)/common/zeroconf/*.py
 
-gajimsrc4dir = $(pkgdatadir)/src/command_system
+gajimsrc4dir = $(gajim_basedir)/command_system
 gajimsrc4_PYTHON = \
 				   $(srcdir)/command_system/*.py
 
-gajimsrc5dir = $(pkgdatadir)/src/command_system/implementation
+gajimsrc5dir = $(gajim_basedir)/command_system/implementation
 gajimsrc5_PYTHON = \
 				   $(srcdir)/command_system/implementation/*.py