diff --git a/build/meson/InstallSymlink.py b/build/meson/InstallSymlink.py
index 9c68cb33e..c1f13f556 100644
--- a/build/meson/InstallSymlink.py
+++ b/build/meson/InstallSymlink.py
@@ -7,32 +7,23 @@
 # LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree) and the GPLv2 (found
 # in the COPYING file in the root directory of this source tree).
 # #############################################################################
-import errno
+
 import os
-
-
-def mkdir_p(path, dir_mode=0o777):
-  try:
-    os.makedirs(path, mode=dir_mode)
-  except OSError as exc:  # Python >2.5
-    if exc.errno == errno.EEXIST and os.path.isdir(path):
-      pass
-    else:
-      raise
+import pathlib  # since Python 3.4
 
 
 def install_symlink(src, dst, install_dir, dst_is_dir=False, dir_mode=0o777):
-  if not os.path.exists(install_dir):
-      mkdir_p(install_dir, dir_mode)
-  if not os.path.isdir(install_dir):
-      raise NotADirectoryError(install_dir)
+  if not install_dir.exists():
+    install_dir.mkdir(mode=dir_mode, parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+  if not install_dir.is_dir():
+    raise NotADirectoryError(install_dir)
 
-  new_dst = os.path.join(install_dir, dst)
-  if os.path.islink(new_dst) and os.readlink(new_dst) == src:
+  new_dst = install_dir.joinpath(dst)
+  if new_dst.is_symlink() and os.readlink(new_dst) == src:
     print('File exists: {!r} -> {!r}'.format(new_dst, src))
     return
   print('Installing symlink {!r} -> {!r}'.format(new_dst, src))
-  os.symlink(src, new_dst, dst_is_dir)
+  new_dst.symlink_to(src, target_is_directory=dst_is_dir)
 
 
 def main():
@@ -40,8 +31,7 @@ def main():
   parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Install a symlink',
       usage='InstallSymlink.py [-h] [-d] [-m MODE] src dst install_dir\n\n'
             'example:\n'
-            '\tInstallSymlink.py dash sh /bin\n'
-            '\tDESTDIR=./staging InstallSymlink.py dash sh /bin')
+            '\tInstallSymlink.py dash sh /bin')
   parser.add_argument('src', help='target to link')
   parser.add_argument('dst', help='link name')
   parser.add_argument('install_dir', help='installation directory')
@@ -55,15 +45,13 @@ def main():
 
   src = args.src
   dst = args.dst
-  install_dir = args.install_dir
   dst_is_dir = args.isdir
   dir_mode = int(args.mode, 8)
+  install_dir = pathlib.Path(args.install_dir)
 
-  DESTDIR = os.environ.get('DESTDIR')
-  if DESTDIR:
-      install_dir = DESTDIR + install_dir if os.path.isabs(install_dir) \
-               else os.path.join(DESTDIR, install_dir)
-
+  meson_destdir = os.environ.get('MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX')
+  if meson_destdir:
+    install_dir = pathlib.Path(meson_destdir).joinpath(install_dir)
   install_symlink(src, dst, install_dir, dst_is_dir, dir_mode)