diff --git a/tools/Makefile.am b/tools/Makefile.am
index 985b1576c4..584ad8d06e 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/Makefile.am
@@ -26,19 +26,10 @@ conf_DATA =
 
 libexec_SCRIPTS = libvirt-guests.sh
 
-if WITH_SANLOCK
-sbin_SCRIPTS = virt-sanlock-cleanup
-endif WITH_SANLOCK
-
 if WITH_LOGIN_SHELL
 conf_DATA += virt-login-shell.conf
 endif WITH_LOGIN_SHELL
 
-virt-sanlock-cleanup: virt-sanlock-cleanup.in Makefile
-	$(AM_V_GEN)sed -e 's|[@]sysconfdir@|$(sysconfdir)|' \
-	    -e 's|[@]localstatedir@|$(localstatedir)|' < $< > $@ \
-	    || (rm $@ && exit 1) && chmod +x $@
-
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES =
 
 BUILT_SOURCES =
diff --git a/tools/meson.build b/tools/meson.build
index 3f98a3e070..77a6de2f53 100644
--- a/tools/meson.build
+++ b/tools/meson.build
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ executable(
 
 tools_conf = configuration_data()
 tools_conf.set('VERSION', meson.project_version())
+tools_conf.set('localstatedir', localstatedir)
 tools_conf.set('schemadir', pkgdatadir / 'schemas')
 tools_conf.set('sysconfdir', sysconfdir)
 
@@ -242,3 +243,14 @@ configure_file(
   install_dir: bindir,
   install_mode: 'rwxrwxr-x',
 )
+
+if conf.has('WITH_SANLOCK')
+  configure_file(
+    input: 'virt-sanlock-cleanup.in',
+    output: 'virt-sanlock-cleanup',
+    configuration: tools_conf,
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: sbindir,
+    install_mode: 'rwxrwxr-x',
+  )
+endif