diff --git a/conan/tools/meson/meson.py b/conan/tools/meson/meson.py
index ae4e5200e8d..caceda23add 100644
--- a/conan/tools/meson/meson.py
+++ b/conan/tools/meson/meson.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 from conan.tools.meson import MesonToolchain
 from conan.tools.microsoft.visual import vcvars_command, vcvars_arch
-from conans.client.tools.env import environment_append
 from conans.client.tools.oss import cross_building
 
 
@@ -36,6 +35,8 @@ def configure(self, source_folder=None):
         else:
             cmd += ' --native-file "{}"'. format(MesonToolchain.native_filename)
         cmd += ' "{}" "{}"'.format(self._build_dir, source)
+        if self._conanfile.package_folder:
+            cmd += ' -Dprefix="{}"'.format(self._conanfile.package_folder)
         self._run(cmd)
 
     def build(self):
@@ -44,8 +45,7 @@ def build(self):
 
     def install(self):
         cmd = 'meson install -C "{}"'.format(self._build_dir)
-        with environment_append({"DESTDIR": self._conanfile.package_folder}):
-            self._run(cmd)
+        self._run(cmd)
 
     def test(self):
         cmd = 'meson test -v -C "{}"'.format(self._build_dir)