diff --git a/foreign_cc/configure.bzl b/foreign_cc/configure.bzl
index a0e0519c1..1dc06d08e 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/configure.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/configure.bzl
@@ -78,12 +78,19 @@ def _create_configure_script(configureParameters):
     configure_prefix = "{} ".format(expand_locations_and_make_variables(ctx, ctx.attr.configure_prefix, "configure_prefix", data)) if ctx.attr.configure_prefix else ""
     configure_options = [expand_locations_and_make_variables(ctx, option, "configure_option", data) for option in ctx.attr.configure_options] if ctx.attr.configure_options else []
 
+    if ctx.attr.experimental_absolute_install_prefix:
+        destdir_arg = 'DESTDIR="$$BUILD_TMPDIR$$/" '
+    else:
+        destdir_arg = ""
+
     for target in ctx.attr.targets:
         # Configure will have generated sources into `$BUILD_TMPDIR` so make sure we `cd` there
         make_commands.append("{prefix}{make} {target} {args}".format(
             prefix = prefix,
             make = attrs.make_path,
-            args = args,
+            # https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/DESTDIR.html
+            # DESTDIR only applies to INSTALL or UNINSTALL targets
+            args = destdir_arg + args if target.startswith("install") or target.startswith("uninstall") else args,
             target = target,
         ))
 
@@ -100,6 +107,7 @@ def _create_configure_script(configureParameters):
         env_vars = user_env,
         configure_in_place = ctx.attr.configure_in_place,
         prefix_flag = ctx.attr.prefix_flag,
+        absolute_prefix = ctx.attr.experimental_absolute_install_prefix,
         autoconf = ctx.attr.autoconf,
         autoconf_options = ctx.attr.autoconf_options,
         autoreconf = ctx.attr.autoreconf,
@@ -187,6 +195,14 @@ def _attrs():
         "configure_prefix": attr.string(
             doc = "A prefix for the call to the `configure_command`.",
         ),
+        "experimental_absolute_install_prefix": attr.bool(
+            doc = (
+                "Allows the install_prefix to be an absolute path, and relies on DESTDIR to place" +
+                "the installation files into the correct output directory when calling `make install`"
+            ),
+            mandatory = False,
+            default = False,
+        ),
         "install_prefix": attr.string(
             doc = (
                 "Install prefix, i.e. relative path to where to install the result of the build. " +
diff --git a/foreign_cc/private/configure_script.bzl b/foreign_cc/private/configure_script.bzl
index 06c516ea5..2aeddcc4f 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/private/configure_script.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/private/configure_script.bzl
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ def create_configure_script(
         env_vars,
         configure_in_place,
         prefix_flag,
+        absolute_prefix,
         autoconf,
         autoconf_options,
         autoreconf,
@@ -69,11 +70,12 @@ def create_configure_script(
         ).lstrip())
 
     script.append("##mkdirs## $$BUILD_TMPDIR$$/$$INSTALL_PREFIX$$")
-    script.append("{env_vars} {prefix}\"{configure}\" {prefix_flag}$$BUILD_TMPDIR$$/$$INSTALL_PREFIX$$ {user_options}".format(
+    script.append("{env_vars} {prefix}\"{configure}\" {prefix_flag}{prefix_dir} {user_options}".format(
         env_vars = get_make_env_vars(workspace_name, tools, flags, env_vars, deps, inputs),
         prefix = configure_prefix,
         configure = configure_path,
         prefix_flag = prefix_flag,
+        prefix_dir = "$$BUILD_TMPDIR$$/$$INSTALL_PREFIX$$" if not absolute_prefix else "$$INSTALL_PREFIX$$",
         user_options = " ".join(user_options),
     ))