diff --git a/scripts/meson-buildoptions.py b/scripts/meson-buildoptions.py
index 3e2b478538..a04dcc70a5 100755
--- a/scripts/meson-buildoptions.py
+++ b/scripts/meson-buildoptions.py
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ LINE_WIDTH = 76
 
 # Convert the default value of an option to the string used in
 # the help message
-def value_to_help(value):
+def get_help(opt):
+    if opt["name"] == "libdir":
+        return 'system default'
+    value = opt["value"]
     if isinstance(value, list):
         return ",".join(value)
     if isinstance(value, bool):
@@ -88,7 +91,7 @@ def sh_print(line=""):
 def help_line(left, opt, indent, long):
     right = f'{opt["description"]}'
     if long:
-        value = value_to_help(opt["value"])
+        value = get_help(opt)
         if value != "auto" and value != "":
             right += f" [{value}]"
     if "choices" in opt and long:
diff --git a/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh b/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
index 0f71e92dcb..d663c9cadf 100644
--- a/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
+++ b/scripts/meson-buildoptions.sh
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ meson_options_help() {
   printf "%s\n" '  --includedir=VALUE       Header file directory [include]'
   printf "%s\n" '  --interp-prefix=VALUE    where to find shared libraries etc., use %M for'
   printf "%s\n" '                           cpu name [/usr/gnemul/qemu-%M]'
-  printf "%s\n" '  --libdir=VALUE           Library directory [lib64]'
+  printf "%s\n" '  --libdir=VALUE           Library directory [system default]'
   printf "%s\n" '  --libexecdir=VALUE       Library executable directory [libexec]'
   printf "%s\n" '  --localedir=VALUE        Locale data directory [share/locale]'
   printf "%s\n" '  --localstatedir=VALUE    Localstate data directory [/var/local]'