diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a88e5514..385a355a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_GIT_VERSION, test "x$usegitver" = "xyes")
 
 # Set root directory
 AC_SUBST(ROOTDIR)
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([ROOTDIR], "$ROOTDIR", [The location of the root operating directory])
 # Set package file extension
 AC_SUBST(PKGEXT)
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([PKGEXT], "$PKGEXT", [The file extension used by pacman packages])
diff --git a/src/pacman/Makefile.am b/src/pacman/Makefile.am
index 795b2d1a..9a92fd6b 100644
--- a/src/pacman/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/pacman/Makefile.am
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ bin_PROGRAMS = pacman
 
 DEFS = -DLOCALEDIR=\"@localedir@\" \
        -DCONFFILE=\"$(conffile)\" \
-       -DROOTDIR=\"$(ROOTDIR)\" \
        -DDBPATH=\"$(dbpath)\" \
        -DGPGDIR=\"$(gpgdir)\" \
        -DCACHEDIR=\"$(cachedir)\" \
diff --git a/src/util/Makefile.am b/src/util/Makefile.am
index 2110781b..590bb3d2 100644
--- a/src/util/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/util/Makefile.am
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ bin_PROGRAMS = vercmp testpkg testdb cleanupdelta pacsort pactree
 
 DEFS = -DLOCALEDIR=\"@localedir@\" \
        -DCONFFILE=\"$(conffile)\" \
-       -DROOTDIR=\"$(ROOTDIR)\" \
        -DDBPATH=\"$(dbpath)\" \
        -DCACHEDIR=\"$(cachedir)\" \
        @DEFS@