diff --git a/config/zfs-build.m4 b/config/zfs-build.m4
index 5eaa49c87..7c19cecd6 100644
--- a/config/zfs-build.m4
+++ b/config/zfs-build.m4
@@ -164,6 +164,19 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_RPM], [
 	RPM_DEFINE_KMOD='--define "kernels $(LINUX_VERSION)" --define "require_spldir $(SPL)" --define "require_splobj $(SPL_OBJ)" --define "ksrc $(LINUX)" --define "kobj $(LINUX_OBJ)"'
 	RPM_DEFINE_DKMS=
 
+	dnl # Override default lib directory on Debian/Ubuntu systems.  The provided
+	dnl # /usr/lib/rpm/platform/<arch>/macros files do not specify the correct
+	dnl # path for multiarch systems as described by the packaging guidelines.
+	dnl #
+	dnl # https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MultiarchSpec
+	dnl # https://wiki.debian.org/Multiarch/Implementation
+	dnl #
+	AS_IF([test "$DEFAULT_PACKAGE" = "deb"], [
+		MULTIARCH_LIBDIR="lib/$(dpkg-architecture -qDEB_HOST_MULTIARCH)"
+		RPM_DEFINE_UTIL+=' --define "_lib $(MULTIARCH_LIBDIR)"'
+		AC_SUBST(MULTIARCH_LIBDIR)
+	])
+
 	SRPM_DEFINE_COMMON='--define "build_src_rpm 1"'
 	SRPM_DEFINE_UTIL=
 	SRPM_DEFINE_KMOD=