diff --git a/src/journal-remote/journal-remote.conf.in b/src/journal-remote/journal-remote.conf.in
index 4c1b78ebc1..648aa1ba11 100644
--- a/src/journal-remote/journal-remote.conf.in
+++ b/src/journal-remote/journal-remote.conf.in
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@
 [Remote]
 # Seal=false
 # SplitMode=host
-# ServerKeyFile=@CERTIFICATEROOT@/private/journal-remote.pem
-# ServerCertificateFile=@CERTIFICATEROOT@/certs/journal-remote.pem
-# TrustedCertificateFile=@CERTIFICATEROOT@/ca/trusted.pem
+# ServerKeyFile={{CERTIFICATE_ROOT}}/private/journal-remote.pem
+# ServerCertificateFile={{CERTIFICATE_ROOT}}/certs/journal-remote.pem
+# TrustedCertificateFile={{CERTIFICATE_ROOT}}/ca/trusted.pem
diff --git a/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.conf.in b/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.conf.in
index 29b623bdfa..94471e4a00 100644
--- a/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.conf.in
+++ b/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.conf.in
@@ -14,6 +14,6 @@
 
 [Upload]
 # URL=
-# ServerKeyFile=@CERTIFICATEROOT@/private/journal-upload.pem
-# ServerCertificateFile=@CERTIFICATEROOT@/certs/journal-upload.pem
-# TrustedCertificateFile=@CERTIFICATEROOT@/ca/trusted.pem
+# ServerKeyFile={{CERTIFICATE_ROOT}}/private/journal-upload.pem
+# ServerCertificateFile={{CERTIFICATE_ROOT}}/certs/journal-upload.pem
+# TrustedCertificateFile={{CERTIFICATE_ROOT}}/ca/trusted.pem
diff --git a/src/journal-remote/meson.build b/src/journal-remote/meson.build
index c42d85bc4b..d516fbabf7 100644
--- a/src/journal-remote/meson.build
+++ b/src/journal-remote/meson.build
@@ -42,27 +42,25 @@ systemd_journal_gatewayd_sources = files('''
         microhttpd-util.c
 '''.split())
 
-if conf.get('ENABLE_REMOTE') ==1 and conf.get('HAVE_LIBCURL') == 1
-        journal_upload_conf = configure_file(
-                input : 'journal-upload.conf.in',
-                output : 'journal-upload.conf',
-                configuration : substs)
-        if install_sysconfdir
-                install_data(journal_upload_conf,
-                             install_dir : pkgsysconfdir)
-        endif
-endif
+in_files = [
+        ['journal-upload.conf',
+         conf.get('ENABLE_REMOTE') == 1 and conf.get('HAVE_LIBCURL') == 1 and install_sysconfdir_samples],
+        ['journal-remote.conf',
+         conf.get('ENABLE_REMOTE') == 1 and conf.get('HAVE_MICROHTTPD') == 1 and install_sysconfdir_samples]]
+
+foreach tuple : in_files
+        file = tuple[0]
+        custom_target(
+                file,
+                input : file + '.in',
+                output: file,
+                command : [meson_render_jinja2, config_h, '@INPUT@'],
+                capture : true,
+                install : tuple[1],
+                install_dir : pkgsysconfdir)
+endforeach
 
 if conf.get('ENABLE_REMOTE') == 1 and conf.get('HAVE_MICROHTTPD') == 1
-        journal_remote_conf = configure_file(
-                input : 'journal-remote.conf.in',
-                output : 'journal-remote.conf',
-                configuration : substs)
-        if install_sysconfdir_samples
-                install_data(journal_remote_conf,
-                             install_dir : pkgsysconfdir)
-        endif
-
         install_data('browse.html',
                      install_dir : join_paths(pkgdatadir, 'gatewayd'))