diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/python3.py b/mesonbuild/modules/python3.py
index 0247ddf4e..94db75c96 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/python3.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/python3.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class Python3Module(ExtensionModule):
             raise mesonlib.MesonException('{} is not a valid path name {}.'.format(path_name, valid_names))
 
         # Get a relative path without a prefix, e.g. lib/python3.6/site-packages
-        path = sysconfig.get_path(path_name, vars={'base': '', 'platbase': ''})[1:]
+        path = sysconfig.get_path(path_name, vars={'base': '', 'platbase': '', 'installed_base': ''})[1:]
         return ModuleReturnValue(path, [])
 
 
diff --git a/test cases/python3/1 basic/meson.build b/test cases/python3/1 basic/meson.build
index 111b71724..5f29ff319 100644
--- a/test cases/python3/1 basic/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/python3/1 basic/meson.build	
@@ -9,10 +9,21 @@ if py3_version.version_compare('< 3.2')
 endif
 
 py3_purelib = py3_mod.sysconfig_path('purelib')
-if not py3_purelib.endswith('site-packages')
+if not py3_purelib.startswith('lib') or not py3_purelib.endswith('site-packages')
   error('Python3 purelib path seems invalid?')
 endif
 
+# could be 'lib64' on some systems
+py3_platlib = py3_mod.sysconfig_path('platlib')
+if not py3_platlib.startswith('lib') or not py3_platlib.endswith('site-packages')
+  error('Python3 platlib path seems invalid?')
+endif
+
+py3_include = py3_mod.sysconfig_path('include')
+if not py3_include.startswith('include')
+  error('Python3 include path seems invalid?')
+endif
+
 main = files('prog.py')
 
 test('toplevel', py3, args : main)