diff --git a/pkgconfig/Makefile.am b/pkgconfig/Makefile.am
index 9976f95ef0..7fa2365cdc 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/Makefile.am
+++ b/pkgconfig/Makefile.am
@@ -36,7 +36,21 @@ cp_verbose_0 = @echo "  CP     $@";
 %-@GST_API_VERSION@.pc: %.pc
 	$(cp_verbose_0)cp $< $@
 %-@GST_API_VERSION@-uninstalled.pc: %-uninstalled.pc
-	$(cp_verbose_0)cp $< $@
+### the uninstalled libdir is depend of the build system used so set it here
+### rather than hardcoding it in the file directly.
+	$(AM_V_GEN) sed \
+		-e "s|[@]allocatorslibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/allocators/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]audiolibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/audio/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]applibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/app/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]fftlibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/fft/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]pbutilslibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/pbutils/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]rifflibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/riff/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]rtplibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/rtp/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]rtsplibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/rtsp/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]sdplibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/sdp/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]taglibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/tag/.libs|" \
+		-e "s|[@]videolibdir[@]|$(abs_top_builddir)/gst-libs/gst/video/.libs|" \
+		$< > $@.tmp && mv $@.tmp $@
 
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA = $(pcverfiles)
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-allocators-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-allocators-uninstalled.pc.in
index 272359414f..58739e24a2 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-allocators-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-allocators-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/allocators/.libs
+libdir=@allocatorslibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/allocators
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-app-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-app-uninstalled.pc.in
index 0fefc9be5b..419ba2483b 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-app-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-app-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/app/.libs
+libdir=@applibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/app
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-audio-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-audio-uninstalled.pc.in
index 3fadf66a72..b6528bb7ec 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-audio-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-audio-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/audio/.libs
+libdir=@audiolibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/audio
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-fft-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-fft-uninstalled.pc.in
index 1b92434b89..8593a344b3 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-fft-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-fft-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/fft/.libs
+libdir=@fftlibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/fft
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-pbutils-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-pbutils-uninstalled.pc.in
index e89187d62f..df85b1f440 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-pbutils-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-pbutils-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/pbutils/.libs
+libdir=@pbutilslibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/pbutils
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-plugins-base-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-plugins-base-uninstalled.pc.in
index eaf378b1ad..d9ff536057 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-plugins-base-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-plugins-base-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Name: GStreamer Base Plugins Libraries, Uninstalled
 Description: Streaming media framework, base plugins libraries, uninstalled
 Version: @VERSION@
 Requires: gstreamer-@GST_API_VERSION@
-Libs: -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/allocators/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/app/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/audio/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/fft/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/pbutils/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/riff/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/rtp/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/rtsp/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/sdp/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/tag/.libs -L@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/video/.libs
+Libs: -L@allocatorslibdir@ -L@applibdir@ -L@audiolibdir@ -L@fftlibdir@ -L@pbutilslibdir@ -L@rifflibdir@ -L@rtplibdir@ -L@rtsplibdir@ -L@sdplibdir@ -L@taglibdir@ -L@videolibdir@
 Cflags: -I@abs_top_srcdir@/gst-libs -I@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 
 libraries=allocators app audio fft pbutils riff rtp rtsp sdp tag video
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-riff-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-riff-uninstalled.pc.in
index 4f9095c67c..117cc7fbfe 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-riff-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-riff-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/riff/.libs
+libdir=@rifflibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/riff
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-rtp-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-rtp-uninstalled.pc.in
index c9592e32ef..e0963f4ecd 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-rtp-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-rtp-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/rtp/.libs
+libdir=@rtplibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/rtp
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-rtsp-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-rtsp-uninstalled.pc.in
index 04d4837c67..80869e5f95 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-rtsp-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-rtsp-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/rtsp/.libs
+libdir=@rtsplibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/rtsp
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-sdp-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-sdp-uninstalled.pc.in
index 18b3442766..af1aa44d60 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-sdp-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-sdp-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/sdp/.libs
+libdir=@sdplibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/sdp
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-tag-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-tag-uninstalled.pc.in
index 8e97fe1d4d..cb097a13c3 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-tag-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-tag-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/tag/.libs
+libdir=@taglibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/tag
diff --git a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-video-uninstalled.pc.in b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-video-uninstalled.pc.in
index ae71ad2d61..59140a1e57 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/gstreamer-video-uninstalled.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/gstreamer-video-uninstalled.pc.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # the standard variables don't make sense for an uninstalled copy
 prefix=
 exec_prefix=
-libdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/video/.libs
+libdir=@videolibdir@
 # includedir is builddir because it is used to find gstconfig.h in places
 includedir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs
 girdir=@abs_top_builddir@/gst-libs/gst/video
diff --git a/pkgconfig/meson.build b/pkgconfig/meson.build
index 578f39e51b..ebc23f7119 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/meson.build
+++ b/pkgconfig/meson.build
@@ -7,6 +7,21 @@ pkgconf.set('includedir', '${prefix}/@0@'.format(get_option('includedir')))
 pkgconf.set('GST_API_VERSION', api_version)
 pkgconf.set('VERSION', gst_version)
 
+# needed for generating -uninstalled.pc files
+pkgconf.set('abs_top_builddir', join_paths(meson.current_build_dir(), '..'))
+pkgconf.set('abs_top_srcdir', join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), '..'))
+pkgconf.set('allocatorslibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gstallocators.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('applibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gstapp.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('audiolibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gstaudio.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('fftlibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gstfft.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('pbutilslibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), pbutils.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('rifflibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gstriff.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('rtplibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gst_rtp.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('rtsplibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gst_rtsp.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('sdplibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gstsdp.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('taglibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gsttag.outdir()))
+pkgconf.set('videolibdir', join_paths(meson.build_root(), gstvideo.outdir()))
+
 pkg_install_dir = '@0@/pkgconfig'.format(get_option('libdir'))
 
 pkg_files = [
@@ -32,4 +47,10 @@ foreach p : pkg_files
     output : outfile,
     configuration : pkgconf,
     install_dir : pkg_install_dir)
+
+  infile = p + '-uninstalled.pc.in'
+  outfile = p + '-1.0-uninstalled.pc'
+  configure_file(input : infile,
+    output : outfile,
+    configuration : pkgconf)
 endforeach