diff --git a/IlmBase/config/CMakeLists.txt b/IlmBase/config/CMakeLists.txt
index 508176a4a3..a6bff04a25 100644
--- a/IlmBase/config/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/IlmBase/config/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ if(ILMBASE_INSTALL_PKG_CONFIG)
   # use a helper function to avoid variable pollution, but pretty simple
   function(ilmbase_pkg_config_help pcinfile)
     set(prefix ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX})
-    set(exec_prefix ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
-    set(libdir ${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR})
-    set(includedir ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR})
+    set(exec_prefix "\${prefix}")
+    set(libdir "\${exec_prefix}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}")
+    set(includedir "\${prefix}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}")
     set(LIB_SUFFIX_DASH ${ILMBASE_LIB_SUFFIX})
     if(TARGET Threads::Threads)
       # hrm, can't use properties as they end up as generator expressions
diff --git a/OpenEXR/config/CMakeLists.txt b/OpenEXR/config/CMakeLists.txt
index 1ef829a229..8d6d7ac812 100644
--- a/OpenEXR/config/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/OpenEXR/config/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ if(OPENEXR_INSTALL_PKG_CONFIG)
   # use a helper function to avoid variable pollution, but pretty simple
   function(openexr_pkg_config_help pcinfile)
     set(prefix ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX})
-    set(exec_prefix ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
-    set(libdir ${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR})
-    set(includedir ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR})
+    set(exec_prefix "\${prefix}")
+    set(libdir "\${exec_prefix}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}")
+    set(includedir "\${prefix}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}")
     set(LIB_SUFFIX_DASH ${OPENEXR_LIB_SUFFIX})
     if(TARGET Threads::Threads)
       # hrm, can't use properties as they end up as generator expressions