diff --git a/configure b/configure
index a3542bbd2e3..b551eedb2a2 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2398,43 +2398,7 @@ if [ "$OPT_SHADOW" = "yes" ]; then
 
     [ -d "$outpath/bin" ] || mkdir -p "$outpath/bin"
 
-    # save a pre-existing mkspecs/modules dir
-    test -d "$outpath/mkspecs/modules" && \
-        mv "$outpath/mkspecs/modules" "$outpath/mkspecs-modules"
-    # ditto for mkspecs/modules-inst
-    test -d "$outpath/mkspecs/modules-inst" && \
-        mv "$outpath/mkspecs/modules-inst" "$outpath/mkspecs-modules-inst"
-
-    # symlink the mkspecs directory
     mkdir -p "$outpath/mkspecs"
-    rm -rf "$outpath"/mkspecs/*
-    ln -s "$relpath"/mkspecs/* "$outpath/mkspecs"
-
-    ShadowMkspecs()
-    {
-        rm -rf "$outpath/mkspecs/$1"
-        find "$relpath/mkspecs/$1" -type d | sed "s,^$relpath,$outpath," | xargs mkdir -p
-        find "$relpath/mkspecs/$1" -type f | sed "s,^$relpath/,," | while read f; do ln -s "$relpath/$f" "$outpath/$f"; done
-    }
-
-    # Special case for mkspecs/features directory.
-    # To be able to place .prf files into a shadow build directory,
-    # we're creating links for files only. The directory structure is reproduced.
-    ShadowMkspecs features
-
-    # The modules dir is special, too.
-    if test -d "$outpath/mkspecs-modules"; then
-        rm -rf "$outpath/mkspecs/modules"
-        mv "$outpath/mkspecs-modules" "$outpath/mkspecs/modules"
-    else
-        ShadowMkspecs modules
-    fi
-
-    # The modules-inst dir is not quite as special, but still.
-    if test -d "$outpath/mkspecs-modules-inst"; then
-        rm -rf "$outpath/mkspecs/modules-inst"
-        mv "$outpath/mkspecs-modules-inst" "$outpath/mkspecs/modules-inst"
-    fi
 
     # Prepare doc directory
     mkdir -p "$outpath/doc"
@@ -4090,6 +4054,12 @@ cat > "$QTCONFFILE" <<EOF
 [EffectivePaths]
 Prefix=..
 EOF
+if [ x"$relpath" != x"$outpath" ]; then
+    cat >> "$QTCONFFILE" <<EOF
+[EffectiveSourcePaths]
+Prefix=$relpath
+EOF
+fi
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # write out device config before we run the test.
diff --git a/qmake/library/qmakeevaluator.cpp b/qmake/library/qmakeevaluator.cpp
index 388310eb641..1d90be9ca11 100644
--- a/qmake/library/qmakeevaluator.cpp
+++ b/qmake/library/qmakeevaluator.cpp
@@ -1428,6 +1428,7 @@ void QMakeEvaluator::updateMkspecPaths()
         ret << m_sourceRoot + concat;
 
     ret << m_option->propertyValue(ProKey("QT_HOST_DATA/get")) + concat;
+    ret << m_option->propertyValue(ProKey("QT_HOST_DATA/src")) + concat;
 
     ret.removeDuplicates();
     m_mkspecPaths = ret;
@@ -1481,6 +1482,7 @@ void QMakeEvaluator::updateFeaturePaths()
     }
 
     feature_bases << (m_option->propertyValue(ProKey("QT_HOST_DATA/get")) + mkspecs_concat);
+    feature_bases << (m_option->propertyValue(ProKey("QT_HOST_DATA/src")) + mkspecs_concat);
 
     foreach (const QString &fb, feature_bases) {
         foreach (const ProString &sfx, values(ProKey("QMAKE_PLATFORM")))
diff --git a/qtbase.pro b/qtbase.pro
index 02dc11eac2d..857cc434466 100644
--- a/qtbase.pro
+++ b/qtbase.pro
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ prefix_build|!equals(PWD, $$OUT_PWD) {
 mkspecs.path = $$[QT_HOST_DATA]/mkspecs
 mkspecs.files = \
     $$OUT_PWD/mkspecs/qconfig.pri $$OUT_PWD/mkspecs/qmodule.pri $$OUT_PWD/mkspecs/qdevice.pri \
-    $$files($$PWD/mkspecs/*)   # $$OUT_PWD contains only symlinks under Unix
+    $$files($$PWD/mkspecs/*)
 mkspecs.files -= $$PWD/mkspecs/modules
 INSTALLS += mkspecs
 
diff --git a/tools/configure/configureapp.cpp b/tools/configure/configureapp.cpp
index 44498b6ccbc..6457f742a95 100644
--- a/tools/configure/configureapp.cpp
+++ b/tools/configure/configureapp.cpp
@@ -160,13 +160,7 @@ Configure::Configure(int& argc, char** argv)
         cout << "Preparing build tree..." << endl;
         QDir(buildPath).mkpath("bin");
 
-        //copy the mkspecs
         buildDir.mkpath("mkspecs");
-        if (!Environment::cpdir(sourcePath + "/mkspecs", buildPath + "/mkspecs")){
-            cout << "Couldn't copy mkspecs!" << sourcePath << " " << buildPath << endl;
-            dictionary["DONE"] = "error";
-            return;
-        }
 
         buildDir.mkpath("doc");
         if (!Environment::cpdir(sourcePath + "/doc/global", buildPath + "/doc/global")) {
@@ -3897,6 +3891,9 @@ void Configure::buildQmake()
         QTextStream confStream(&confFile);
         confStream << "[EffectivePaths]" << endl
                    << "Prefix=.." << endl;
+        if (sourcePath != buildPath)
+            confStream << "[EffectiveSourcePaths]" << endl
+                       << "Prefix=" << sourcePath << endl;
 
         confStream.flush();
         confFile.close();