diff --git a/.config/Makefile b/.config/Makefile
index 0d9939f..3407f57 100644
--- a/.config/Makefile
+++ b/.config/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.config
+SUBDIR=.config
 modules=awesome clfswm cower dunst fehlstart fish herbstluftwm \
 	newsbeuter zathura
 
diff --git a/.config/awesome/Makefile b/.config/awesome/Makefile
index bec3818..071a7ad 100644
--- a/.config/awesome/Makefile
+++ b/.config/awesome/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/awesome
+SUBDIR=awesome
 modules=themes
 objects=bowl.lua ext.lua infoline.lua keychain.lua oni.lua rc.lua
 
diff --git a/.config/awesome/themes/Makefile b/.config/awesome/themes/Makefile
index 85298f3..2c32a7e 100644
--- a/.config/awesome/themes/Makefile
+++ b/.config/awesome/themes/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/themes
+SUBDIR=themes
 modules=custom
 
 include ../../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/awesome/themes/custom/Makefile b/.config/awesome/themes/custom/Makefile
index 8cebe3d..c5e3982 100644
--- a/.config/awesome/themes/custom/Makefile
+++ b/.config/awesome/themes/custom/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/custom
+SUBDIR=custom
 objects=theme.lua
 
 include ../../../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/clfswm/Makefile b/.config/clfswm/Makefile
index d79241a..974bea3 100644
--- a/.config/clfswm/Makefile
+++ b/.config/clfswm/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/clfswm
+SUBDIR=clfswm
 objects=clfswmrc
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/cower/Makefile b/.config/cower/Makefile
index 8828ad3..c7765dc 100644
--- a/.config/cower/Makefile
+++ b/.config/cower/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/cower
+SUBDIR=cower
 objects=config
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/dunst/Makefile b/.config/dunst/Makefile
index 4f8a4e5..6076e74 100644
--- a/.config/dunst/Makefile
+++ b/.config/dunst/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/dunst
+SUBDIR=dunst
 objects=dunstrc
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/fehlstart/Makefile b/.config/fehlstart/Makefile
index 303a9ca..0c6998d 100644
--- a/.config/fehlstart/Makefile
+++ b/.config/fehlstart/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/fehlstart
+SUBDIR=fehlstart
 objects=fehlstart.rc
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/fish/Makefile b/.config/fish/Makefile
index 2b32c1b..cdce7a6 100644
--- a/.config/fish/Makefile
+++ b/.config/fish/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/fish
+SUBDIR=fish
 objects=config.fish
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/herbstluftwm/Makefile b/.config/herbstluftwm/Makefile
index 62151ad..e8f232f 100644
--- a/.config/herbstluftwm/Makefile
+++ b/.config/herbstluftwm/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/herbstluftwm
+SUBDIR=herbstluftwm
 objects=autostart panel.sh
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/newsbeuter/Makefile b/.config/newsbeuter/Makefile
index fbf22de..df228e9 100644
--- a/.config/newsbeuter/Makefile
+++ b/.config/newsbeuter/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/newsbeuter
+SUBDIR=newsbeuter
 objects=config urls
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.config/zathura/Makefile b/.config/zathura/Makefile
index c6c93c1..b076c74 100644
--- a/.config/zathura/Makefile
+++ b/.config/zathura/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/zathura
+SUBDIR=zathura
 objects=zathurarc
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.conkerorrc/Makefile b/.conkerorrc/Makefile
index 8161f39..be7ee27 100644
--- a/.conkerorrc/Makefile
+++ b/.conkerorrc/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.conkerorrc
+SUBDIR=.conkerorrc
 modules=themes styles
 objects=gtk2rc init.js ext_restore.js
 
diff --git a/.conkerorrc/styles/Makefile b/.conkerorrc/styles/Makefile
index c75377b..14ecaaa 100644
--- a/.conkerorrc/styles/Makefile
+++ b/.conkerorrc/styles/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/styles
+SUBDIR=styles
 objects=github.css help.css git-scm.css
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.conkerorrc/themes/Makefile b/.conkerorrc/themes/Makefile
index adb917a..6e95dc4 100644
--- a/.conkerorrc/themes/Makefile
+++ b/.conkerorrc/themes/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/themes
+SUBDIR=themes
 modules=naquadah yoshi
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.conkerorrc/themes/naquadah/Makefile b/.conkerorrc/themes/naquadah/Makefile
index 0512339..6a1634a 100644
--- a/.conkerorrc/themes/naquadah/Makefile
+++ b/.conkerorrc/themes/naquadah/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/naquadah
+SUBDIR=naquadah
 objects=conkeror--scrollbars.css hints--url-panel.css minibuffer.css \
 	mode-line.css new-tabs.css tab-bar.css theme.json
 
diff --git a/.conkerorrc/themes/yoshi/Makefile b/.conkerorrc/themes/yoshi/Makefile
index 158dade..1c5bb94 100644
--- a/.conkerorrc/themes/yoshi/Makefile
+++ b/.conkerorrc/themes/yoshi/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/yoshi
+SUBDIR=yoshi
 objects=conkeror--scrollbars.css hints--url-panel.css minibuffer.css \
 	mode-line.css new-tabs.css tab-bar.css theme.json
 
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e69de29..6dc3062 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Makefile.old
diff --git a/.local/Makefile b/.local/Makefile
index 4b1a1cf..a473a83 100644
--- a/.local/Makefile
+++ b/.local/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.local
+SUBDIR=.local
 modules=share
 
 include ../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.local/share/Makefile b/.local/share/Makefile
index c06880a..da723ff 100644
--- a/.local/share/Makefile
+++ b/.local/share/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/share
+SUBDIR=share
 modules=applications
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.local/share/applications/Makefile b/.local/share/applications/Makefile
index 3d2ca22..4fb9a44 100644
--- a/.local/share/applications/Makefile
+++ b/.local/share/applications/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/applications
+SUBDIR=applications
 objects=moc.desktop ncmpcpp.desktop poweroff.desktop reboot.desktop
 
 include ../../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.moc/Makefile b/.moc/Makefile
index 5eb4fa2..ec1b2b7 100644
--- a/.moc/Makefile
+++ b/.moc/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.moc
+SUBDIR=.moc
 modules=themes
 objects=config
 
diff --git a/.moc/themes/Makefile b/.moc/themes/Makefile
index fd61c62..77c8f1f 100644
--- a/.moc/themes/Makefile
+++ b/.moc/themes/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/themes
+SUBDIR=themes
 objects=custom
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.mutt/Makefile b/.mutt/Makefile
index d1e65d1..ba059f1 100644
--- a/.mutt/Makefile
+++ b/.mutt/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.mutt
+SUBDIR=.mutt
 objects=aethon.muttrc arch.muttrc colors.muttrc gmail.muttrc \
 	iactor.muttrc macros mailcap muttrc ninthfloor.muttrc \
 	ryuslash.org.muttrc sig
diff --git a/.ncmpcpp/Makefile b/.ncmpcpp/Makefile
index 728f643..059c96b 100644
--- a/.ncmpcpp/Makefile
+++ b/.ncmpcpp/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.ncmpcpp
+SUBDIR=.ncmpcpp
 objects=config
 
 include ../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.pentadactyl/Makefile b/.pentadactyl/Makefile
index e0640d2..6c3ac5c 100644
--- a/.pentadactyl/Makefile
+++ b/.pentadactyl/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.pentadactyl
+SUBDIR=.pentadactyl
 modules=plugins
 
 include ../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.pentadactyl/plugins/Makefile b/.pentadactyl/plugins/Makefile
index 8ed9478..badaa01 100644
--- a/.pentadactyl/plugins/Makefile
+++ b/.pentadactyl/plugins/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/plugins
+SUBDIR=plugins
 objects=emacs.penta
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.sawfish/Makefile b/.sawfish/Makefile
index b680366..842bb1a 100644
--- a/.sawfish/Makefile
+++ b/.sawfish/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.sawfish
+SUBDIR=.sawfish
 objects=rc
 
 include ../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.ssh/Makefile b/.ssh/Makefile
index 2461e6c..b805834 100644
--- a/.ssh/Makefile
+++ b/.ssh/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.ssh
+SUBDIR=.ssh
 objects=config
 
 include ../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.w3m/Makefile b/.w3m/Makefile
index 85d09d5..ba96315 100644
--- a/.w3m/Makefile
+++ b/.w3m/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.w3m
+SUBDIR=.w3m
 objects=config
 
 include ../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.weechat/Makefile b/.weechat/Makefile
index 8a0618a..6f81768 100644
--- a/.weechat/Makefile
+++ b/.weechat/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.weechat
+SUBDIR=.weechat
 objects=alias.conf irc.conf weechat.conf
 
 include ../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.zsh/Makefile b/.zsh/Makefile
index 077367e..acd5e4e 100644
--- a/.zsh/Makefile
+++ b/.zsh/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.zsh
+SUBDIR=.zsh
 modules=functions
 
 include ../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/.zsh/functions/Makefile b/.zsh/functions/Makefile
index baf5c6b..d410977 100644
--- a/.zsh/functions/Makefile
+++ b/.zsh/functions/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/functions
+SUBDIR=functions
 objects=chpwd_show_todo chpwd_update_git_vars env get_cnt line \
 	precmd_maybe_festival precmd_update_git_vars precmd_update_updates \
 	preexec_update_vars prompt prompt_git_info rprompt \
diff --git a/dotfiles.mk b/dotfiles.mk
index 892c5b5..b7bd5c6 100644
--- a/dotfiles.mk
+++ b/dotfiles.mk
@@ -34,9 +34,23 @@ all: $(modules) $(objects)
 
 ifeq ($(MAKEROOT),y)
 check: $(check-modules) $(check-objects)
-install: $(install-modules) $(install-objects)
+install: uninstall $(install-modules) $(install-objects) Makefile.old
 reverse: $(reverse-modules) $(reverse-objects)
+ifeq ($(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)),Makefile.old)
 uninstall: $(uninstall-modules) $(uninstall-objects)
+	@rmdir --ignore-fail-on-non-empty $(DESTDIR) 2> /dev/null || true
+else
+uninstall: export NEWLIST = $(objects)
+uninstall:
+	@$(MAKE) -s -f Makefile.old uninstall
+
+Makefile.old: $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))
+	@cp "$^" "$@"
+
+ifdef SUBDIR
+DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/$(SUBDIR)
+endif
+endif
 else
 check:
 	@$(MAKE) -s -C ../ check
@@ -71,10 +85,11 @@ $(reverse-modules): reverse-%:
 	@$(MAKE) -s -C $* reverse MKDPREFIX=$(MKDPREFIX)$*/
 
 $(uninstall-objects): uninstall-%:
-	@$(if $(call older,$*), \
-		echo -e "$(FG_RED)+ $(FG_YEL)$(MKDPREFIX)$*$(CLR_RE)", \
-		echo -e "$(FG_GRE)- $(FG_YEL)$(MKDPREFIX)$*$(CLR_RE)"; \
-		rm -f "$(DESTDIR)/$*")
+	@$(if $(findstring $*,$(NEWLIST)),, \
+		@$(if $(call older,$*), \
+	 		echo -e "$(FG_RED)+ $(FG_YEL)$(MKDPREFIX)$*$(CLR_RE)", \
+			echo -e "$(FG_GRE)- $(FG_YEL)$(MKDPREFIX)$*$(CLR_RE)"; \
+			unlink "$(DESTDIR)/$*" || true))
 
 $(uninstall-modules): uninstall-%:
 	@$(MAKE) -C $* uninstall MKDPREFIX=$(MKDPREFIX)$*/
diff --git a/emacs/Makefile b/emacs/Makefile
index 43ee5ec..5f8d204 100644
--- a/emacs/Makefile
+++ b/emacs/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/.emacs.d
+SUBDIR=.emacs.d
 objects=init.elc init.el gnus.elc gnus.el
 modules=eshell site-lisp snippets
 
diff --git a/emacs/eshell/Makefile b/emacs/eshell/Makefile
index fd3b0f2..3b6ce2f 100644
--- a/emacs/eshell/Makefile
+++ b/emacs/eshell/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/eshell
+SUBDIR=eshell
 objects=alias
 modules=
 
diff --git a/emacs/site-lisp/Makefile b/emacs/site-lisp/Makefile
index bf452e9..91ee32e 100644
--- a/emacs/site-lisp/Makefile
+++ b/emacs/site-lisp/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/site-lisp
+SUBDIR=site-lisp
 objects=dzen.elc dzen.el eltuki.elc eltuki.el ext.elc ext.el \
 	metalexpress.elc metalexpress.el mu4e-init.elc mu4e-init.el \
 	oni.elc oni.el org-init.elc org-init.el quick-edit-mode.elc \
diff --git a/emacs/snippets/Makefile b/emacs/snippets/Makefile
index 12ff544..e003ed3 100644
--- a/emacs/snippets/Makefile
+++ b/emacs/snippets/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/snippets
+SUBDIR=snippets
 modules=html-mode org-mode python-mode
 
 include ../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/emacs/snippets/html-mode/Makefile b/emacs/snippets/html-mode/Makefile
index b2dff78..2d6defe 100644
--- a/emacs/snippets/html-mode/Makefile
+++ b/emacs/snippets/html-mode/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/html-mode
+SUBDIR=html-mode
 objects=for generic-block
 
 include ../../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/emacs/snippets/org-mode/Makefile b/emacs/snippets/org-mode/Makefile
index 34d4cd9..670b139 100644
--- a/emacs/snippets/org-mode/Makefile
+++ b/emacs/snippets/org-mode/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/org-mode
+SUBDIR=org-mode
 objects=codeblock heading project snippet
 
 include ../../../dotfiles.mk
diff --git a/emacs/snippets/python-mode/Makefile b/emacs/snippets/python-mode/Makefile
index 192657b..8e8b652 100644
--- a/emacs/snippets/python-mode/Makefile
+++ b/emacs/snippets/python-mode/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-DESTDIR:=$(DESTDIR)/python-mode
+SUBDIR=python-mode
 objects=defm_empty form form_valid import_from permission_guard url
 
 include ../../../dotfiles.mk