diff --git a/configure b/configure
index fae03df82..16297e06f 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -4116,7 +4116,7 @@ case "$prefix" in
 esac
 case "$exec_prefix" in
         NONE)
-		exec_prefix="/usr/local"
+		exec_prefix="$prefix"
         ;;
 esac
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d48c32666..059243c3d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ case "$prefix" in
 esac
 case "$exec_prefix" in
         NONE)
-		exec_prefix="/usr/local"
+		exec_prefix="$prefix"
         ;;
 esac
 
diff --git a/doc/Changelog b/doc/Changelog
index 24f874dbb..082e2b7f0 100644
--- a/doc/Changelog
+++ b/doc/Changelog
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 26 May 2017: Wouter
 	- Fix #1270: unitauth.c doesn't compile with higher warning level
 	  and optimization
+	- exec_prefix is by default equal to prefix.
 
 24 May 2017: Wouter
 	- authzone cname chain, no rrset duplicates, wildcard doesn't change