diff --git a/README b/README
index 0953f37..5dc232e 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -108,7 +108,9 @@
 
 Please be aware that the Python library will ignore the --prefix option
 and just install wherever Python's distutils puts it (usually along
-the lines of /usr/lib/pythonX.Y/site-packages/).  DESTDIR is respected.
+the lines of /usr/lib/pythonX.Y/site-packages/).  If you need to control
+where the Python modules are installed, set the PY_PREFIX variable.
+(DESTDIR is respected for Python and C++.)
 
 Make thrift:
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9a4aeb5..2605478 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@
 
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 
+AC_ARG_VAR([PY_PREFIX], [Prefix for installing Python modules.
+                         (Normal --prefix is ignored for Python because
+                         Python has different conventions.)
+                         Default = "/usr"])
+AS_IF([test "x$PY_PREFIX" == x], [PY_PREFIX="/usr"])
+
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile])
 
 AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS([compiler/cpp lib/cpp lib/py if])
diff --git a/lib/py/Makefile.am b/lib/py/Makefile.am
index 24c5892..7db5c3b 100644
--- a/lib/py/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/py/Makefile.am
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@
 # Old version (can't put inline because it's not portable).
 #$(PYTHON) setup.py install --prefix=$(prefix) --root=$(DESTDIR) $(PYTHON_SETUPUTIL_ARGS)
 install-exec-hook:
-	$(PYTHON) setup.py install --root=$(DESTDIR) $(PYTHON_SETUPUTIL_ARGS)
+	$(PYTHON) setup.py install --root=$(DESTDIR) --prefix=$(PY_PREFIX) $(PYTHON_SETUPUTIL_ARGS)
diff --git a/lib/py/README b/lib/py/README
index bdd2ef1..3a5ba92 100644
--- a/lib/py/README
+++ b/lib/py/README
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Thrift Python Software Library
 
 Author: Mark Slee (mcslee@facebook.com)
-Last Modified: 2007-Mar-05
+Last Modified: 2007-Sep-04
 
 Thrift is distributed under the Thrift open source software license.
 Please see the included LICENSE file.
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 thrift, and there are subpackages for the protocol, transport, and server
 code. Each package contains modules using standard Thrift naming conventions
 (i.e. TProtocol, TTransport) and implementations in corresponding modules
-(i.e. TSocket).
+(i.e. TSocket).  There is also a subpackage reflection, which contains
+the generated code for the reflection structures.
 
 The Python libraries can be installed manually using the provided setup.py
 file, or automatically using the install hook provided via autoconf/automake.
diff --git a/lib/py/configure.ac b/lib/py/configure.ac
index 7014fa9..61c6df4 100644
--- a/lib/py/configure.ac
+++ b/lib/py/configure.ac
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@
 
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 
+AC_ARG_VAR([PY_PREFIX], [Prefix for installing Python modules.
+                         (Normal --prefix is ignored for Python because
+                         Python has different conventions.)
+                         Default = "/usr"])
+AS_IF([test "x$PY_PREFIX" == x], [PY_PREFIX="/usr"])
+
 AM_PATH_PYTHON(2.4,, :)
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile])