diff --git a/embed/Makefile b/embed/Makefile
index 0297e088e..6507f8e4b 100644
--- a/embed/Makefile
+++ b/embed/Makefile
@@ -29,7 +29,12 @@ LIB_OBJS := $(patsubst $(GEN_DIR)/%.c, $(BUILD_DIR)/%.o, $(LUA_C_SRCS)) $(patsub
 EXAMPLE_BINS = $(patsubst $(EXAMPLE_DIR)/%.c, $(BUILD_DIR)/$(EXAMPLE_DIR)/%, $(EXAMPLE_SRCS))
 TEST_BINS = $(patsubst $(TEST_DIR)/%.c, $(BUILD_DIR)/$(TEST_DIR)/%, $(TEST_SRCS))
 
+ifneq ($(shell uname -s),Darwin)
 PREFIX ?= /usr
+else
+PREFIX ?= /usr/local
+endif
+
 INSTALL_CMOD = $(shell pkg-config luajit --variable INSTALL_CMOD)
 
 ################################################################################