diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index cab7d8ecd4..5353eb307e 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -1144,10 +1144,16 @@ if env['matlab_toolbox'] == 'y':
 # *** Set additional configuration variables ***
 # **********************************************
 
+# Some distributions (e.g. Fedora/RHEL) use 'lib64' instead of 'lib' on 64-bit systems
+if any(name.startswith('/usr/lib64/python') for name in sys.path):
+    env['libdirname'] = 'lib64'
+else:
+    env['libdirname'] = 'lib'
+
 # Directories where things will be after actually being installed. These
 # variables are the ones that are used to populate header files, scripts, etc.
 env['ct_installroot'] = env['prefix']
-env['ct_libdir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], 'lib')
+env['ct_libdir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], env['libdirname'])
 env['ct_bindir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], 'bin')
 env['ct_incdir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], 'include', 'cantera')
 env['ct_incroot'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], 'include')
@@ -1161,7 +1167,8 @@ else:
     env['ct_datadir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], 'share', 'cantera', 'data')
     env['ct_sampledir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], 'share', 'cantera', 'samples')
     env['ct_mandir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], 'share', 'man', 'man1')
-    env['ct_matlab_dir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], 'lib', 'cantera', 'matlab', 'toolbox')
+    env['ct_matlab_dir'] = pjoin(env['prefix'], env['libdirname'],
+                                 'cantera', 'matlab', 'toolbox')
 
 # Always set the stage directory before building an MSI installer
 if 'msi' in COMMAND_LINE_TARGETS:
@@ -1198,7 +1205,7 @@ else:
 if env['layout'] == 'debian':
     base = pjoin(os.getcwd(), 'debian')
 
-    env['inst_libdir'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-dev', 'usr', 'lib')
+    env['inst_libdir'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-dev', 'usr', env['libdirname'])
     env['inst_incdir'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-dev', 'usr', 'include', 'cantera')
     env['inst_incroot'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-dev', 'usr' 'include')
 
@@ -1208,14 +1215,14 @@ if env['layout'] == 'debian':
     env['inst_sampledir'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-common', 'usr', 'share', 'cantera', 'samples')
     env['inst_mandir'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-common', 'usr', 'share', 'man', 'man1')
 
-    env['inst_matlab_dir'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-matlab',
-                                   'usr', 'lib', 'cantera', 'matlab', 'toolbox')
+    env['inst_matlab_dir'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-matlab', 'usr',
+                                   env['libdirname'], 'cantera', 'matlab', 'toolbox')
 
     env['inst_python_bindir'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-python', 'usr', 'bin')
     env['python_prefix'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-python', 'usr')
     env['python3_prefix'] = pjoin(base, 'cantera-python3', 'usr')
 else:
-    env['inst_libdir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'lib')
+    env['inst_libdir'] = pjoin(instRoot, env['libdirname'])
     env['inst_bindir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'bin')
     env['inst_python_bindir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'bin')
     env['inst_incdir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'include', 'cantera')
@@ -1228,7 +1235,8 @@ else:
         env['inst_docdir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'doc')
         env['inst_mandir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'man1')
     else: # env['layout'] == 'standard'
-        env['inst_matlab_dir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'lib', 'cantera', 'matlab', 'toolbox')
+        env['inst_matlab_dir'] = pjoin(instRoot, env['libdirname'], 'cantera',
+                                       'matlab', 'toolbox')
         env['inst_datadir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'share', 'cantera', 'data')
         env['inst_sampledir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'share', 'cantera', 'samples')
         env['inst_docdir'] = pjoin(instRoot, 'share', 'cantera', 'doc')
diff --git a/interfaces/cython/SConscript b/interfaces/cython/SConscript
index ea2735e0cf..4fadc93a68 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/SConscript
+++ b/interfaces/cython/SConscript
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ for line in open('cantera/_cantera.pxd'):
 
 def install_module(prefix, python_version):
     major = python_version[0]
+    minor = python_version.split('.')[1]
     ver = '3' if major == '3' else ''
     dummy = 'dummy' + major
     if prefix == 'USER':
@@ -82,6 +83,10 @@ def install_module(prefix, python_version):
         # A specific location for the Cantera python module has been given
         if localenv['OS'] == 'Darwin':
             extra = localenv.subst(' --prefix=${python%s_prefix}' % ver)
+        elif localenv['libdirname'] == 'lib64':
+            # 64-bit RHEL / Fedora
+            extra = localenv.subst(
+                ' --prefix=${python%s_prefix} --install-lib=${python%s_prefix}/lib64/python%s.%s/site-packages' % (ver, ver, major, minor))
         else:
             extra = '--user'
             localenv.AppendENVPath(
diff --git a/platform/posix/Cantera.mak.in b/platform/posix/Cantera.mak.in
index f404dbf6c6..8da8586d60 100644
--- a/platform/posix/Cantera.mak.in
+++ b/platform/posix/Cantera.mak.in
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ CANTERA_CORE_INCLUDES=-I$(CANTERA_INSTALL_ROOT)/include
 CANTERA_EXTRA_INCLUDES=@mak_extra_includes@ 
 
 # Required Cantera libraries
-CANTERA_CORE_LIBS=@mak_threadflags@ -L$(CANTERA_INSTALL_ROOT)/lib @mak_corelibs@
+CANTERA_CORE_LIBS=@mak_threadflags@ -L@ct_libdir@ @mak_corelibs@
 
-CANTERA_CORE_LIBS_DEP = $(CANTERA_INSTALL_ROOT)/lib/libcantera.a
+CANTERA_CORE_LIBS_DEP = @ct_libdir@/libcantera.a
 
 CANTERA_EXTRA_LIBDIRS=@mak_extra_libdirs@
 
diff --git a/platform/posix/cantera.pc.in b/platform/posix/cantera.pc.in
index a696b50876..dcc87412c0 100644
--- a/platform/posix/cantera.pc.in
+++ b/platform/posix/cantera.pc.in
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 prefix=@pc_prefix@
 exec_prefix=${prefix}/bin
-libdir=${prefix}/lib
+libdir=${prefix}/@libdirname@
 includedir=${prefix}/include
 
 Name: Cantera