diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
index 8efb5fb2b..2bfb82269 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
@@ -656,12 +656,15 @@ int dummy;
         incroot = self.environment.get_includedir()
         headers = self.build.get_headers()
 
+        srcdir = self.environment.get_source_dir()
+        builddir = self.environment.get_build_dir()
         for h in headers:
             outdir = h.get_custom_install_dir()
             if outdir is None:
                 outdir = os.path.join(incroot, h.get_install_subdir())
             for f in h.get_sources():
-                abspath = os.path.join(self.environment.get_source_dir(), h.get_source_subdir(), f)
+                assert(isinstance(f, File))
+                abspath = f.absolute_path(srcdir, builddir)
                 i = [abspath, outdir]
                 d.headers.append(i)
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
index 1c562b61b..b20d98ccd 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
@@ -457,10 +457,9 @@ class IncludeDirsHolder(InterpreterObject):
 
 class Headers(InterpreterObject):
 
-    def __init__(self, src_subdir, sources, kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, sources, kwargs):
         InterpreterObject.__init__(self)
         self.sources = sources
-        self.source_subdir = src_subdir
         self.install_subdir = kwargs.get('subdir', '')
         self.custom_install_dir = kwargs.get('install_dir', None)
         if self.custom_install_dir is not None:
@@ -473,9 +472,6 @@ class Headers(InterpreterObject):
     def get_install_subdir(self):
         return self.install_subdir
 
-    def get_source_subdir(self):
-        return self.source_subdir
-
     def get_sources(self):
         return self.sources
 
@@ -2155,9 +2151,9 @@ requirements use the version keyword argument instead.''')
             self.build.benchmarks.append(t)
             mlog.debug('Adding benchmark "', mlog.bold(args[0]), '".', sep='')
 
-    @stringArgs
     def func_install_headers(self, node, args, kwargs):
-        h = Headers(self.subdir, args, kwargs)
+        source_files = self.source_strings_to_files(args)
+        h = Headers(source_files, kwargs)
         self.build.headers.append(h)
         return h
 
diff --git a/test cases/common/9 header install/installed_files.txt b/test cases/common/9 header install/installed_files.txt
index b9e91a286..8af6c1fd0 100644
--- a/test cases/common/9 header install/installed_files.txt	
+++ b/test cases/common/9 header install/installed_files.txt	
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 usr/include/rootdir.h
 usr/include/subdir/subdir.h
 usr/include/vanished.h
+usr/include/fileheader.h
diff --git a/test cases/common/9 header install/meson.build b/test cases/common/9 header install/meson.build
index 8c8ca7386..7f3ce5175 100644
--- a/test cases/common/9 header install/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/common/9 header install/meson.build	
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ project('header install', 'c')
 
 as_array = ['subdir.h']
 
+subdir('vanishing_subdir')
+subdir('sub')
+
 h1 = install_headers('rootdir.h')
 h2 = install_headers(as_array, subdir : 'subdir')
+h3 = install_headers(subheader)
 
-subdir('vanishing_subdir')
diff --git a/test cases/common/9 header install/sub/fileheader.h b/test cases/common/9 header install/sub/fileheader.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..28e5c8dfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/9 header install/sub/fileheader.h	
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#define LIFE "Is life! Na naa, naa-na na."
diff --git a/test cases/common/9 header install/sub/meson.build b/test cases/common/9 header install/sub/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1ee0d1dd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/9 header install/sub/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+subheader = files('fileheader.h')
+