diff --git a/gnu/packages/admin.scm b/gnu/packages/admin.scm
index 9520cab2d5..dfbf20d56f 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/admin.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/admin.scm
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
                "07mddw0p62fcphwjzgb6rfa0pjz5sy6jzbha0sm2vc3rqf459jxg"))
              (patches (list (search-patch "dmd-getpw.patch")))))
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
+    (arguments
+     '(#:configure-flags '("--localstatedir=/var")))
     (native-inputs `(("pkg-config" ,pkg-config)))
     (inputs `(("guile" ,guile-2.0)))
     (synopsis "Daemon managing daemons")
diff --git a/gnu/packages/avahi.scm b/gnu/packages/avahi.scm
index d1023cd4b6..bc70878d46 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/avahi.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/avahi.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2013, 2014 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2013 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (arguments
      '(#:configure-flags '("--with-distro=none"
+                           "--localstatedir=/var" ; for the DBus socket
                            "--disable-python"
                            "--disable-mono"
                            "--disable-doxygen-doc"
diff --git a/gnu/packages/glib.scm b/gnu/packages/glib.scm
index adaa8aa3aa..0560915b24 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/glib.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/glib.scm
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@
              (patches (list (search-patch "dbus-localstatedir.patch")))))
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (arguments
-     '(#:configure-flags (list ;; XXX: Fix the following to allow system-wide
+     '(#:configure-flags (list ;; Install the system bus socket under /var.
+                               "--localstatedir=/var"
+
+                               ;; XXX: Fix the following to allow system-wide
                                ;; config.
                                ;; "--sysconfdir=/etc"
 
diff --git a/gnu/packages/package-management.scm b/gnu/packages/package-management.scm
index cee372e81c..f94f8fc919 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/package-management.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/package-management.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2013, 2014 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2013 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (arguments
      `(#:configure-flags (list
+                          "--localstatedir=/var"
                           (string-append "--with-libgcrypt-prefix="
                                          (assoc-ref %build-inputs
                                                     "libgcrypt")))
diff --git a/gnu/packages/pulseaudio.scm b/gnu/packages/pulseaudio.scm
index 859e1d6bca..8bf48c2a89 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/pulseaudio.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/pulseaudio.scm
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ parse JSON formatted strings back into the C representation of JSON objects.")
                              "pulseaudio-volume-test.patch")))))
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (arguments
-     `(#:configure-flags '(;;"--sysconfdir=/etc"
+     `(#:configure-flags '("--localstatedir=/var" ;"--sysconfdir=/etc"
                            "--disable-oss-output")
        #:phases (alist-cons-before
                  'check 'pre-check
diff --git a/guix/build/gnu-build-system.scm b/guix/build/gnu-build-system.scm
index ed870ade88..6d26392c8f 100644
--- a/guix/build/gnu-build-system.scm
+++ b/guix/build/gnu-build-system.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2012, 2013, 2014 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2012, 2013 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -142,12 +142,6 @@ makefiles."
                        ,(string-append "CONFIG_SHELL=" bash)
                        ,(string-append "SHELL=" bash)
                        ,(string-append "--prefix=" prefix)
-
-                       ;; Keep modifiable state directories outside of the
-                       ;; store (Autoconf 2.70 will add '--runstatedir'.)
-                       "--localstatedir=/var"
-                       "--sharedstatedir=/com"
-
                        "--enable-fast-install"    ; when using Libtool
 
                        ;; Produce multiple outputs when specific output names