diff --git a/config/zfs-build.m4 b/config/zfs-build.m4
index 2703e6c016..5ea6aa29a3 100644
--- a/config/zfs-build.m4
+++ b/config/zfs-build.m4
@@ -617,6 +617,17 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_DEFAULT_PACKAGE], [
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
 	fi
 	AC_SUBST(RPM_DEFINE_INITRAMFS)
+
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([default bash completion directory])
+	case "$VENDOR" in
+		ubuntu)     bashcompletiondir=/usr/share/bash-completion/completions   ;;
+		debian)     bashcompletiondir=/usr/share/bash-completion/completions   ;;
+		freebsd)    bashcompletiondir=$sysconfdir/bash_completion.d;;
+		*)          bashcompletiondir=/etc/bash_completion.d   ;;
+	esac
+	AC_MSG_RESULT([$bashcompletiondir])
+	AC_SUBST(bashcompletiondir)
+
 ])
 
 dnl #
diff --git a/contrib/bash_completion.d/Makefile.am b/contrib/bash_completion.d/Makefile.am
index dc4b610c42..1ec05ed73d 100644
--- a/contrib/bash_completion.d/Makefile.am
+++ b/contrib/bash_completion.d/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-bashcompletiondir = $(sysconfdir)/bash_completion.d
-
 nodist_bashcompletion_DATA  = %D%/zfs
 SUBSTFILES                 += $(nodist_bashcompletion_DATA)