diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index b687a259..fcebec74 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -545,8 +545,9 @@ recollqt-clean:
 	-$(MAKE) -C $(QTGUI) clean
 install-exec-local: recollqt-install
 recollqt-install:
-	$(MAKE) -C $(QTGUI) LFLAGS="$(LDFLAGS)" prefix=$(prefix) \
-                exec_prefix=$(exec_prefix) libdir=$(libdir) install
+	$(MAKE) -C $(QTGUI) LFLAGS="$(LDFLAGS)" INSTALL_ROOT=$(DESTDIR) \
+                prefix=$(prefix) exec_prefix=$(exec_prefix) libdir=$(libdir) \
+                install
 endif
 
 defconfdir = $(pkgdatadir)/examples