diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 56b64b57dc..5c9de0f644 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -267,6 +267,8 @@ endif()
 
 ################################################################################
 
+option(EMBED_PROJ_DATA_PATH "Whether the PROJ_DATA_PATH should be embedded" ON)
+
 if(DEFINED PROJ_LIB_ENV_VAR_TRIED_LAST)
   set(PROJ_DATA_ENV_VAR_TRIED_LAST ${PROJ_LIB_ENV_VAR_TRIED_LAST})
   message(WARNING "PROJ_LIB_ENV_VAR_TRIED_LAST option has been renamed to PROJ_DATA_ENV_VAR_TRIED_LAST. PROJ_LIB_ENV_VAR_TRIED_LAST is still working for now, but may be completely replaced by PROJ_DATA_ENV_VAR_TRIED_LAST in a future release")
diff --git a/docs/source/install.rst b/docs/source/install.rst
index 056523dbf0..2330a9e16c 100644
--- a/docs/source/install.rst
+++ b/docs/source/install.rst
@@ -414,6 +414,12 @@ All cached entries can be viewed using ``cmake -LAH`` from a build directory.
     Path to an existing directory used to cache :file:`proj.db` to speed-up
     subsequent builds without modifications to source SQL files.
 
+.. option:: EMBED_PROJ_DATA_PATH
+
+    .. versionadded:: 9.5
+
+    Embed ``PROJ_DATA`` hard-coded alternative path for data files location. Disable to avoid setting this non-relocatable hard-coded path. Default ON.
+
 
 Building on Windows with vcpkg and Visual Studio 2017 or 2019
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/lib_proj.cmake b/src/lib_proj.cmake
index 0f8e08f8a5..c39e5dfd4d 100644
--- a/src/lib_proj.cmake
+++ b/src/lib_proj.cmake
@@ -303,7 +303,9 @@ include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
 source_group("CMake Files" FILES CMakeLists.txt)
 
 # Embed PROJ_DATA data files location
-add_definitions(-DPROJ_DATA="${PROJ_DATA_PATH}")
+if(EMBED_PROJ_DATA_PATH)
+  add_definitions(-DPROJ_DATA="${PROJ_DATA_PATH}")
+endif()
 
 
 ###########################################################