diff -ruN mailman-2.1.12-a/bin/check_perms mailman-2.1.12-b/bin/check_perms
--- mailman-2.1.12-a/bin/check_perms	2009-02-23 22:23:35.000000000 +0100
+++ mailman-2.1.12-b/bin/check_perms	2009-07-28 12:19:49.000000000 +0200
@@ -183,7 +183,8 @@
         print _('checking mode for %(prefix)s')
     dirs = {}
     for d in (mm_cfg.PREFIX, mm_cfg.EXEC_PREFIX, mm_cfg.VAR_PREFIX,
-              mm_cfg.LOG_DIR):
+              mm_cfg.CONFIG_DIR, mm_cfg.DATA_DIR, mm_cfg.LOCK_DIR,
+              mm_cfg.LOG_DIR, mm_cfg.QUEUE_DIR, mm_cfg.PID_DIR):
         dirs[d] = True
     for d in dirs.keys():
         try:
diff -ruN mailman-2.1.12-a/configure.in mailman-2.1.12-b/configure.in
--- mailman-2.1.12-a/configure.in	2009-07-28 12:19:47.000000000 +0200
+++ mailman-2.1.12-b/configure.in	2009-07-28 12:19:49.000000000 +0200
@@ -248,6 +248,62 @@
     prefixcheck=$VAR_PREFIX
 fi
 
+# Get the configuration file directory
+AC_SUBST(CONFIG_DIR)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-config-dir)
+AC_ARG_WITH(config-dir, dnl
+[  --with-config-dir    specify directory for configuration data other than [VAR_]PREFIX/data])
+case "$with_config_dir" in
+    yes|no|"") CONFIG_DIR="$VAR_PREFIX/data";;
+    *)         CONFIG_DIR=$with_config_dir;;
+esac
+AC_MSG_RESULT($CONFIG_DIR)
+
+# Get the lock directory
+AC_SUBST(LOCK_DIR)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-lock-dir)
+AC_ARG_WITH(lock-dir, dnl
+[  --with-lock-dir    specify directory for lock files other than [VAR_]PREFIX/locks])
+case "$with_lock_dir" in
+    yes|no|"") LOCK_DIR="$VAR_PREFIX/locks";;
+    *)         LOCK_DIR=$with_lock_dir;;
+esac
+AC_MSG_RESULT($LOCK_DIR)
+
+# Get the log directory
+AC_SUBST(LOG_DIR)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-log-dir)
+AC_ARG_WITH(log-dir, dnl
+[  --with-log-dir    specify directory for log files other than [VAR_]PREFIX/logs])
+case "$with_log_dir" in
+    yes|no|"") LOG_DIR="$VAR_PREFIX/logs";;
+    *)         LOG_DIR=$with_log_dir;;
+esac
+AC_MSG_RESULT($LOG_DIR)
+
+# Get the pid directory
+AC_SUBST(PID_DIR)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-pid-dir)
+AC_ARG_WITH(pid-dir, dnl
+[  --with-pid-dir    specify directory for the pid file other than [VAR_]PREFIX/data])
+case "$with_pid_dir" in
+    yes|no|"") PID_DIR="$VAR_PREFIX/data";;
+    *)         PID_DIR=$with_pid_dir;;
+esac
+AC_MSG_RESULT($PID_DIR)
+
+# Get the queue directory
+AC_SUBST(QUEUE_DIR)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-queue-dir)
+AC_ARG_WITH(queue-dir, dnl
+[  --with-queue-dir    specify directory for queue files other than [VAR_]PREFIX/qfiles])
+case "$with_queue_dir" in
+    yes|no|"") QUEUE_DIR="$VAR_PREFIX/qfiles";;
+    *)         QUEUE_DIR=$with_queue_dir;;
+esac
+AC_MSG_RESULT($QUEUE_DIR)
+
+
 # new macro for finding group names
 # returns a comma separated list of quoted group names
 # the list is returned in the same order as specified with any duplicates removed
diff -ruN mailman-2.1.12-a/Mailman/Defaults.py.in mailman-2.1.12-b/Mailman/Defaults.py.in
--- mailman-2.1.12-a/Mailman/Defaults.py.in	2009-02-23 22:23:35.000000000 +0100
+++ mailman-2.1.12-b/Mailman/Defaults.py.in	2009-07-28 12:19:49.000000000 +0200
@@ -1325,9 +1325,11 @@
 
 # Useful directories
 LIST_DATA_DIR   = os.path.join(VAR_PREFIX, 'lists')
-LOG_DIR         = os.path.join(VAR_PREFIX, 'logs')
-LOCK_DIR        = os.path.join(VAR_PREFIX, 'locks')
+LOG_DIR         = '@LOG_DIR@'
+LOCK_DIR        = '@LOCK_DIR@'
+CONFIG_DIR      = '@CONFIG_DIR@'
 DATA_DIR        = os.path.join(VAR_PREFIX, 'data')
+PID_DIR         = '@PID_DIR@'
 SPAM_DIR        = os.path.join(VAR_PREFIX, 'spam')
 WRAPPER_DIR     = os.path.join(EXEC_PREFIX, 'mail')
 BIN_DIR         = os.path.join(PREFIX, 'bin')
@@ -1338,7 +1340,7 @@
 PRIVATE_ARCHIVE_FILE_DIR = os.path.join(VAR_PREFIX, 'archives', 'private')
 
 # Directories used by the qrunner subsystem
-QUEUE_DIR       = os.path.join(VAR_PREFIX, 'qfiles')
+QUEUE_DIR       = '@QUEUE_DIR@'
 INQUEUE_DIR     = os.path.join(QUEUE_DIR, 'in')
 OUTQUEUE_DIR    = os.path.join(QUEUE_DIR, 'out')
 CMDQUEUE_DIR    = os.path.join(QUEUE_DIR, 'commands')
@@ -1352,9 +1354,9 @@
 MAILDIR_DIR     = os.path.join(QUEUE_DIR, 'maildir')
 
 # Other useful files
-PIDFILE = os.path.join(DATA_DIR, 'master-qrunner.pid')
-SITE_PW_FILE = os.path.join(DATA_DIR, 'adm.pw')
-LISTCREATOR_PW_FILE = os.path.join(DATA_DIR, 'creator.pw')
+PIDFILE = os.path.join(PID_DIR, 'master-qrunner.pid')
+SITE_PW_FILE = os.path.join(CONFIG_DIR, 'adm.pw')
+LISTCREATOR_PW_FILE = os.path.join(CONFIG_DIR, 'creator.pw')
 
 # Import a bunch of version numbers
 from Version import *
diff -ruN mailman-2.1.12-a/Mailman/MTA/Postfix.py mailman-2.1.12-b/Mailman/MTA/Postfix.py
--- mailman-2.1.12-a/Mailman/MTA/Postfix.py	2009-02-23 22:23:35.000000000 +0100
+++ mailman-2.1.12-b/Mailman/MTA/Postfix.py	2009-07-28 12:19:49.000000000 +0200
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@
 from Mailman.Logging.Syslog import syslog
 
 LOCKFILE = os.path.join(mm_cfg.LOCK_DIR, 'creator')
-ALIASFILE = os.path.join(mm_cfg.DATA_DIR, 'aliases')
-VIRTFILE = os.path.join(mm_cfg.DATA_DIR, 'virtual-mailman')
+ALIASFILE = os.path.join(mm_cfg.CONFIG_DIR, 'aliases')
+VIRTFILE = os.path.join(mm_cfg.CONFIG_DIR, 'virtual-mailman')
 
 try:
     True, False
diff -ruN mailman-2.1.12-a/Makefile.in mailman-2.1.12-b/Makefile.in
--- mailman-2.1.12-a/Makefile.in	2009-07-28 12:19:48.000000000 +0200
+++ mailman-2.1.12-b/Makefile.in	2009-07-28 12:19:49.000000000 +0200
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@
 prefix=		@prefix@
 exec_prefix=	@exec_prefix@
 var_prefix=	@VAR_PREFIX@
+configdir=	@CONFIG_DIR@
+lockdir=	@LOCK_DIR@
+logdir=		@LOG_DIR@
+piddir=		@PID_DIR@
+queuedir=	@QUEUE_DIR@
 DESTDIR=
 
 CC=		@CC@
@@ -41,8 +46,11 @@
 OPT=		@OPT@
 CFLAGS=		@CFLAGS@ $(OPT) $(DEFS)
 
+FHS_DIRS= \
+	${configdir} ${lockdir} ${logdir} ${piddir} ${queuedir}
+
 VAR_DIRS= \
-	logs archives lists locks data spam qfiles \
+	archives lists data spam \
 	archives/private archives/public
 
 ARCH_INDEP_DIRS= \
@@ -105,6 +113,15 @@
 	    else true; \
 	    fi; \
 	done
+	@for d in $(FHS_DIRS); \
+	do \
+	    dir=$(DESTDIR)/$$d; \
+	    if test ! -d $$dir; then \
+		echo "Creating directory $$dir"; \
+		$(INSTALL) -d -m $(DIRMODE) $$dir; \
+	    else true; \
+	    fi; \
+	done
 	chmod o-r $(DESTDIR)$(var_prefix)/archives/private
 	@for d in $(ARCH_INDEP_DIRS); \
 	do \
diff -ruN mailman-2.1.12-a/misc/Makefile.in mailman-2.1.12-b/misc/Makefile.in
--- mailman-2.1.12-a/misc/Makefile.in	2009-07-28 12:19:48.000000000 +0200
+++ mailman-2.1.12-b/misc/Makefile.in	2009-07-28 12:19:49.000000000 +0200
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@
 prefix=   	@prefix@
 exec_prefix=	@exec_prefix@
 var_prefix=	@VAR_PREFIX@
+configdir=	@CONFIG_DIR@
+lockdir=	@LOCK_DIR@
+logdir=		@LOG_DIR@
+piddir=		@PID_DIR@
+queuedir=	@QUEUE_DIR@
+MAILMAN_GROUP=  @MAILMAN_GROUP@
 DESTDIR=
 
 CC=		@CC@
@@ -87,7 +93,7 @@
 	    $(INSTALL) -m $(FILEMODE) paths.py $$dir; \
 	done
 	$(INSTALL) -m $(EXEMODE) mailman $(DESTDIR)$(SCRIPTSDIR)
-	$(INSTALL) -m $(FILEMODE) sitelist.cfg $(DESTDIR)$(DATADIR)
+	$(INSTALL) -m $(FILEMODE) sitelist.cfg $(DESTDIR)$(configdir)
 
 install-packages:
 	if [ -z "$(EMAILPKG)" -a -d $(PYTHONLIBDIR)/email ] ; \