diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 080709fa1..1e7ce281a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -128,7 +128,16 @@ else
 endif
 add_project_arguments('-DSWAY_VERSION=@0@'.format(version), language: 'c')
 
-add_project_arguments('-D_LD_LIBRARY_PATH="@0@"'.format(get_option('ld-library-path')), language: 'c')
+if get_option('use_rpath')
+	if get_option('custom_rpath') == ''
+		# default to platform specific libdir, one level up from the binary
+		rpathdir = join_paths('$ORIGIN', '..', '$LIB')
+	else
+		rpathdir = get_option('custom_rpath')
+	endif
+else
+	rpathdir = ''
+endif
 
 sway_inc = include_directories('include')
 
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 50d646fd3..2db852fc7 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 option('sway-version', type : 'string', description: 'The version string reported in `sway --version`.')
-option('ld-library-path', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'The LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable.')
+option('use_rpath', type: 'boolean', value: false, description: 'install binaries with rpath set')
+option('custom_rpath', type: 'string', value: '', description: 'override rpath with a custom one')
 option('default-wallpaper', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Install the default wallpaper.')
 option('zsh-completions', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Install zsh shell completions.')
 option('bash-completions', type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Install bash shell completions.')
diff --git a/sway/main.c b/sway/main.c
index 50b05b217..dea4a31c3 100644
--- a/sway/main.c
+++ b/sway/main.c
@@ -241,14 +241,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		"      --get-socketpath   Gets the IPC socket path and prints it, then exits.\n"
 		"\n";
 
-	// Security:
-	unsetenv("LD_PRELOAD");
-#ifdef _LD_LIBRARY_PATH
-	setenv("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", _LD_LIBRARY_PATH, 1);
-#else
-	unsetenv("LD_LIBRARY_PATH");
-#endif
-
 	int c;
 	while (1) {
 		int option_index = 0;
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index b6394ecb8..6eb9a9d7a 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -187,5 +187,6 @@ executable(
 	include_directories: [sway_inc],
 	dependencies: sway_deps,
 	link_with: [lib_sway_common],
+	install_rpath : rpathdir,
 	install: true
 )
diff --git a/swaybar/meson.build b/swaybar/meson.build
index d65edb11e..7a02a33f3 100644
--- a/swaybar/meson.build
+++ b/swaybar/meson.build
@@ -24,5 +24,6 @@ executable(
 		wlroots,
 	],
 	link_with: [lib_sway_common, lib_sway_client],
+	install_rpath : rpathdir,
 	install: true
 )
diff --git a/swaybg/meson.build b/swaybg/meson.build
index 8704de6d3..095c54884 100644
--- a/swaybg/meson.build
+++ b/swaybg/meson.build
@@ -14,5 +14,6 @@ executable(
 		wlroots,
 	],
 	link_with: [lib_sway_common, lib_sway_client],
+	install_rpath : rpathdir,
 	install: true
 )
diff --git a/swayidle/meson.build b/swayidle/meson.build
index f62545f8b..6c3ac1193 100644
--- a/swayidle/meson.build
+++ b/swayidle/meson.build
@@ -14,5 +14,6 @@ executable(
 		swayidle_deps,
 	],
 	link_with: [lib_sway_common, lib_sway_client],
+	install_rpath : rpathdir,
 	install: true
 )
diff --git a/swaylock/meson.build b/swaylock/meson.build
index 6c87d173d..6605340b4 100644
--- a/swaylock/meson.build
+++ b/swaylock/meson.build
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ executable('swaylock',
 	include_directories: [sway_inc],
 	dependencies: dependencies,
 	link_with: [lib_sway_common, lib_sway_client],
+	install_rpath : rpathdir,
 	install: true
 )
 
diff --git a/swaymsg/meson.build b/swaymsg/meson.build
index 8638b838d..7318349d5 100644
--- a/swaymsg/meson.build
+++ b/swaymsg/meson.build
@@ -4,5 +4,6 @@ executable(
     include_directories: [sway_inc],
     dependencies: [jsonc, wlroots],
     link_with: [lib_sway_common],
+    install_rpath : rpathdir,
     install: true
 )
diff --git a/swaynag/meson.build b/swaynag/meson.build
index 2ba3ed95f..223a0bc77 100644
--- a/swaynag/meson.build
+++ b/swaynag/meson.build
@@ -19,5 +19,6 @@ executable(
 		wlroots,
 	],
 	link_with: [lib_sway_common, lib_sway_client],
+	install_rpath : rpathdir,
 	install: true
 )