--- a/compiler/options.nim
+++ b/compiler/options.nim
@@ -507,6 +507,10 @@
     else:
       conf.libpath = prefix / RelativeDir"lib"
 
+    if not fileExists(conf.libpath.string / "system.nim") and
+        fileExists(conf.libpath.string / "nim" / "system.nim"):
+      conf.libpath = conf.libpath / RelativeDir"nim"
+
     # Special rule to support other tools (nimble) which import the compiler
     # modules and make use of them.
     let realNimPath = findExe("nim")