diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3630a3ab4c..9cf3de2fce 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1444,6 +1444,9 @@ AG_GST_CHECK_FEATURE(OPENCV, [opencv plugins], opencv, [
   ], [
     HAVE_OPENCV="no"
   ])
+  OPENCV_PREFIX="`$PKG_CONFIG --variable=prefix opencv`"
+  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OPENCV_PREFIX, "$OPENCV_PREFIX", [opencv install prefix])
+  AC_SUBST(OPENCV_PREFIX)
   AC_SUBST(OPENCV_CFLAGS)
   AC_SUBST(OPENCV_LIBS)
 ])
diff --git a/ext/opencv/gstfaceblur.c b/ext/opencv/gstfaceblur.c
index 2f9dcf5448..7b801c1ccf 100644
--- a/ext/opencv/gstfaceblur.c
+++ b/ext/opencv/gstfaceblur.c
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@
 GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_STATIC (gst_face_blur_debug);
 #define GST_CAT_DEFAULT gst_face_blur_debug
 
-#define DEFAULT_PROFILE "/usr/share/opencv/haarcascades/haarcascade_frontalface_default.xml"
+#define HAAR_CASCADES_DIR OPENCV_PREFIX "/share/opencv/haarcascades/"
+#define DEFAULT_PROFILE HAAR_CASCADES_DIR "haarcascade_frontalface_default.xml"
 
 /* Filter signals and args */
 enum
diff --git a/ext/opencv/gstfacedetect.c b/ext/opencv/gstfacedetect.c
index a52158b231..89079f07f8 100644
--- a/ext/opencv/gstfacedetect.c
+++ b/ext/opencv/gstfacedetect.c
@@ -82,10 +82,11 @@
 GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_STATIC (gst_face_detect_debug);
 #define GST_CAT_DEFAULT gst_face_detect_debug
 
-#define DEFAULT_FACE_PROFILE "/usr/share/opencv/haarcascades/haarcascade_frontalface_default.xml"
-#define DEFAULT_NOSE_PROFILE "/usr/share/opencv/haarcascades/haarcascade_mcs_nose.xml"
-#define DEFAULT_MOUTH_PROFILE "/usr/share/opencv/haarcascades/haarcascade_mcs_mouth.xml"
-#define DEFAULT_EYES_PROFILE "/usr/share/opencv/haarcascades/haarcascade_mcs_eyepair_small.xml"
+#define HAAR_CASCADES_DIR OPENCV_PREFIX "/share/opencv/haarcascades/"
+#define DEFAULT_FACE_PROFILE HAAR_CASCADES_DIR "haarcascade_frontalface_default.xml"
+#define DEFAULT_NOSE_PROFILE HAAR_CASCADES_DIR "haarcascade_mcs_nose.xml"
+#define DEFAULT_MOUTH_PROFILE HAAR_CASCADES_DIR "haarcascade_mcs_mouth.xml"
+#define DEFAULT_EYES_PROFILE HAAR_CASCADES_DIR "haarcascade_mcs_eyepair_small.xml"
 #define DEFAULT_SCALE_FACTOR 1.1
 #define DEFAULT_FLAGS 0
 #define DEFAULT_MIN_NEIGHBORS 3