diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index ea4992105c..3d6ebb71d3 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -11,17 +11,17 @@ ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I common/m4 -I .
 aclocaldir = $(datadir)/aclocal
 aclocal_DATA = gst-element-check-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.m4
 
-SUBDIRS = \
+SUBDIRS = pkgconfig \
 	gst libs plugins tools tests \
 	docs \
-	pkgconfig po \
+	po \
 	common
 
 # These are all the possible subdirs
-DIST_SUBDIRS = \
+DIST_SUBDIRS = pkgconfig \
 	gst libs plugins tools tests \
 	docs \
-	pkgconfig po \
+	po \
 	common
 
 # include before EXTRA_DIST for win32 assignment
diff --git a/libs/gst/base/Makefile.am b/libs/gst/base/Makefile.am
index d29a134185..b5220c4e01 100644
--- a/libs/gst/base/Makefile.am
+++ b/libs/gst/base/Makefile.am
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ gir_sources=$(patsubst %,$(srcdir)/%, $(libgstbase_@GST_MAJORMINOR@_la_SOURCES))
 gir_cincludes=$(patsubst %,--c-include='gst/base/%',$(libgstbase_@GST_MAJORMINOR@include_HEADERS))
 
 GstBase-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.gir: $(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) libgstbase-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.la
-	$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstBase \
+	PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH):$(top_builddir)/pkgconfig" \
+		$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstBase \
 		--nsversion=@GST_MAJORMINOR@ \
 		--strip-prefix=Gst \
 		-I$(top_srcdir) \
diff --git a/libs/gst/check/Makefile.am b/libs/gst/check/Makefile.am
index ee403b1638..9989adb7b3 100644
--- a/libs/gst/check/Makefile.am
+++ b/libs/gst/check/Makefile.am
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ gir_sources=$(patsubst %,$(srcdir)/%, $(libgstcheck_@GST_MAJORMINOR@_la_SOURCES)
 gir_cincludes=$(patsubst %,--c-include='gst/check/%',$(libgstcheck_@GST_MAJORMINOR@include_HEADERS))
 
 GstCheck-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.gir: $(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) libgstcheck-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.la
-	$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstCheck \
+	PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH):$(top_builddir)/pkgconfig" \
+		$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstCheck \
 		--nsversion=@GST_MAJORMINOR@ \
 		--strip-prefix=Gst \
 		-I$(top_srcdir) \
diff --git a/libs/gst/controller/Makefile.am b/libs/gst/controller/Makefile.am
index 01b816e35d..67cb9bf0e5 100644
--- a/libs/gst/controller/Makefile.am
+++ b/libs/gst/controller/Makefile.am
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ gir_sources=$(patsubst %,$(srcdir)/%, $(libgstcontroller_@GST_MAJORMINOR@_la_SOU
 gir_cincludes=$(patsubst %,--c-include='gst/controller/%',$(libgstcontroller_@GST_MAJORMINOR@_include_HEADERS))
 
 GstController-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.gir: $(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) libgstcontroller-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.la
-	$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstController \
+	PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH):$(top_builddir)/pkgconfig" \
+		$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstController \
 		--nsversion=@GST_MAJORMINOR@ \
 		--strip-prefix=Gst \
 		-I$(top_srcdir) \
diff --git a/libs/gst/dataprotocol/Makefile.am b/libs/gst/dataprotocol/Makefile.am
index 66c8bc3432..4079329747 100644
--- a/libs/gst/dataprotocol/Makefile.am
+++ b/libs/gst/dataprotocol/Makefile.am
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ gir_sources=$(patsubst %,$(srcdir)/%, $(libgstdataprotocol_@GST_MAJORMINOR@_la_S
 gir_cincludes=$(patsubst %,--c-include='gst/dataprotocol/%',$(libgstdataprotocol_@GST_MAJORMINOR@_include_HEADERS))
 
 GstDataprotocol-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.gir: $(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) libgstdataprotocol-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.la
-	$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstDataprotocol \
+	PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH):$(top_builddir)/pkgconfig" \
+		$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstDataprotocol \
 		--strip-prefix=Gst \
 		--nsversion=@GST_MAJORMINOR@ \
 		-I$(top_srcdir) \
diff --git a/libs/gst/net/Makefile.am b/libs/gst/net/Makefile.am
index 1041270128..3bd9dd657f 100644
--- a/libs/gst/net/Makefile.am
+++ b/libs/gst/net/Makefile.am
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ gir_sources=$(patsubst %,$(srcdir)/%, $(libgstnet_@GST_MAJORMINOR@_la_SOURCES))
 gir_cincludes=$(patsubst %,--c-include='gst/net/%',$(libgstbase_@GST_MAJORMINOR@_include_HEADERS))
 
 GstNet-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.gir: $(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) libgstnet-@GST_MAJORMINOR@.la
-	$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstNet \
+	PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(PKG_CONFIG_PATH):$(top_builddir)/pkgconfig" \
+		$(INTROSPECTION_SCANNER) -v --namespace GstNet \
 		--strip-prefix=Gst \
 		--nsversion=@GST_MAJORMINOR@ \
 		-I$(top_srcdir) \