diff --git a/src/internal/slibtool_install_impl.h b/src/internal/slibtool_install_impl.h
index 86c7cfc..7c8e234 100644
--- a/src/internal/slibtool_install_impl.h
+++ b/src/internal/slibtool_install_impl.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ enum install_tags {
 	TAG_INSTALL_GROUP,
 	TAG_INSTALL_MODE,
 	TAG_INSTALL_DSTDIR,
+	TAG_INSTALL_SYSROOT,
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/logic/slbt_exec_install.c b/src/logic/slbt_exec_install.c
index 5e5d440..b86e979 100644
--- a/src/logic/slbt_exec_install.c
+++ b/src/logic/slbt_exec_install.c
@@ -709,6 +709,9 @@ int slbt_exec_install(
 	for (entry=meta->entries; entry->fopt || entry->arg; entry++) {
 		if (entry->fopt) {
 			switch (entry->tag) {
+				case TAG_INSTALL_SYSROOT:
+					break;
+
 				case TAG_INSTALL_COPY:
 					*argv++ = "-c";
 					copy = entry;
@@ -754,8 +757,12 @@ int slbt_exec_install(
 					break;
 			}
 
-			if (entry->fval)
+			if (entry->tag == TAG_INSTALL_SYSROOT) {
+				(void)0;
+
+			} else if (entry->fval) {
 				*argv++ = (char *)entry->arg;
+			}
 		} else
 			last = entry;
 	}
diff --git a/src/skin/slbt_skin_install.c b/src/skin/slbt_skin_install.c
index f0d92a2..e8feb59 100644
--- a/src/skin/slbt_skin_install.c
+++ b/src/skin/slbt_skin_install.c
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ const struct argv_option slbt_install_options[] = {
 	{"help",	'h',TAG_INSTALL_HELP,ARGV_OPTARG_NONE,0,0,0,
 			"display install mode help"},
 
+	{"sysroot",	0,TAG_INSTALL_SYSROOT,ARGV_OPTARG_REQUIRED,0,0,"<sysroot>",
+			"reference only: the target's sysroot directory"},
+
 	{0,		'c',TAG_INSTALL_COPY,ARGV_OPTARG_NONE,0,0,0,
 			"copy"},