diff --git a/src/lib/Makefile.am b/src/lib/Makefile.am
index 4813621..29ba324 100644
--- a/src/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4 --install
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_builddir)/include \
               -I$(top_builddir)/src/lib \
               -I$(top_srcdir)/include \
-              -I$(top_srcdir)/src/lib
+              -I$(top_srcdir)/src/lib \
+              -DSYSCONFDIR=\"$(sysconfdir)\"
 
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libcares.la
 
diff --git a/src/lib/Makefile.in b/src/lib/Makefile.in
index 6b42bb8..99b2b04 100644
--- a/src/lib/Makefile.in
+++ b/src/lib/Makefile.in
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4 --install
 # might possibly already be installed in the system.
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/src/lib \
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/include -I$(top_srcdir)/src/lib \
-	$(am__append_4)
+	-DSYSCONFDIR=\"$(sysconfdir)\" $(am__append_4)
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libcares.la
 man_MANS = $(MANPAGES)
 
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_init.c b/src/lib/ares_init.c
index de5d86c..b388c52 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_init.c
+++ b/src/lib/ares_init.c
@@ -1756,7 +1756,7 @@ static int init_by_resolv_conf(ares_channel channel)
 
     if ((status == ARES_EOF) && (!channel->lookups)) {
       /* Many systems (Solaris, Linux, BSD's) use nsswitch.conf */
-      fp = fopen("/etc/nsswitch.conf", "r");
+      fp = fopen(SYSCONFDIR "/nsswitch.conf", "r");
       if (fp) {
         while ((status = ares__read_line(fp, &line, &linesize)) ==
                ARES_SUCCESS)
@@ -1776,7 +1776,7 @@ static int init_by_resolv_conf(ares_channel channel)
           DEBUGF(fprintf(stderr, "fopen() failed with error: %d %s\n",
                          error, strerror(error)));
           DEBUGF(fprintf(stderr, "Error opening file: %s\n",
-                         "/etc/nsswitch.conf"));
+                         SYSCONFDIR "/nsswitch.conf"));
         }
 
         /* ignore error, maybe we will get luck in next if clause */
diff --git a/src/lib/ares_private.h b/src/lib/ares_private.h
index 60d69e0..c8d85b4 100644
--- a/src/lib/ares_private.h
+++ b/src/lib/ares_private.h
@@ -92,11 +92,11 @@ W32_FUNC const char *_w32_GetHostsFile (void);
 
 #else
 
-#define PATH_RESOLV_CONF        "/etc/resolv.conf"
+#define PATH_RESOLV_CONF        SYSCONFDIR "/resolv.conf"
 #ifdef ETC_INET
-#define PATH_HOSTS              "/etc/inet/hosts"
+#define PATH_HOSTS              SYSCONFDIR "/inet/hosts"
 #else
-#define PATH_HOSTS              "/etc/hosts"
+#define PATH_HOSTS              SYSCONFDIR "/hosts"
 #endif
 
 #endif