diff --git a/README b/README
index 4a46d12..03a0336 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -14,17 +14,6 @@
  $ ./configure
  $ make
 
-If your system is a 64-bit architecture and libraries are installed
-into /usr/lib64 instead of /usr/lib, change the library directory with
---libdir option:
-
- $ ./configure --libdir=/usr/lib64
-
-If you want to separate the library files into a subdirectory, specify
-it as follows, for example:
-
- $ ./configure --libdir=/usr/lib64/nilfs
-
 If /etc/mtab is not a symlink to /proc/self/mounts but a regular file
 in the target system, run the configure script with --without-libmount
 option:
@@ -40,6 +29,56 @@ the recommended configuration.  This option is primarily intended for
 legacy environments or specialized configurations that still rely on a
 writable /etc/mtab file.
 
+
+* Installation path configuration
+
+If your system is a 64-bit architecture and libraries are installed
+into /usr/lib64 instead of /usr/lib, change the library directory with
+--libdir option:
+
+ $ ./configure --libdir=/usr/lib64
+
+If you want to separate the library files into a subdirectory, specify
+it as follows, for example:
+
+ $ ./configure --libdir=/usr/lib64/nilfs
+
+Modern Linux distributions follow the "UsrMerge" or "Bin-Sbin merge"
+schemes.  The configure script automatically detects the system
+hierarchy and adjusts the installation paths for core binaries
+(mkfs.nilfs2, mount.nilfs2, nilfs_cleanerd, etc.):
+
+ - Legacy: Installs to /sbin
+ - UsrMerge: Installs to /usr/sbin
+ - Bin-Sbin merge (e.g., Fedora Rawhide): Installs to /usr/bin
+
+When installing to /usr/bin, the build system also attempts to create
+compatibility symbolic links in /usr/sbin if that directory exists on
+the target system.
+
+You can manually override this detection using the following options:
+
+ # Force installation into /usr/bin (Bin-Sbin merge style)
+ $ ./configure --enable-usrmerge=bin
+
+ # Force installation into /usr/sbin (UsrMerge style)
+ $ ./configure --enable-usrmerge=sbin
+
+ # Force installation into the traditional /sbin
+ $ ./configure --disable-usrmerge
+
+By default, if the option is omitted, the script probes the system's
+directory configuration to determine the appropriate hierarchy.  If
+the option is specified without a TYPE (i.e., --enable-usrmerge), it
+defaults to "sbin" (/usr/sbin) to align with standard UsrMerge
+practices.
+
+Note: This option is significant even when /sbin is a symbolic link to
+/usr/sbin (i.e., the physical installation destination is the same).
+It ensures that the absolute paths used by the utilities to call other
+binaries are consistent with the chosen hierarchy.
+
+
 * Trouble shooting
 
 If the blkid library in your environment is old and incompatible with
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ad89211..b24288d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ LT_PREREQ([2.4])
 LT_INIT
 AC_PATH_PROG([LDCONFIG], [ldconfig],
 	[AC_MSG_ERROR([ldconfig not found])],
-	[$PATH:/sbin])
+	[$PATH:/usr/sbin:/sbin])
 
 dnl UTIL_CHECK_LIB(LIBRARY, FUNCTION, [VARSUFFIX = $1]))
 dnl The VARSUFFIX is optional and overrides the default behaviour. For example:
@@ -63,6 +63,25 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([uapi_header_install],
 	[enable_uapi_header_install="${enableval}"],
 	[enable_uapi_header_install=no])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([usrmerge],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-usrmerge[[=TYPE]]],
+	  [set UsrMerge hierarchy type (no, sbin, bin, or auto);
+	   'sbin' (default TYPE) installs to /usr/sbin, 'bin' installs to
+	   /usr/bin [default=auto, which probes the system configuration]])],
+	[enable_usrmerge="${enableval}"],
+	[enable_usrmerge=auto])
+
+# Checks for UsrMerge hierarchy
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_usrmerge" = "xauto"], [
+    AS_IF([test /usr/sbin -ef /usr/bin], [enable_usrmerge=bin],
+          [test -x /usr/bin/rpm && \
+           test "$(rpm --eval '%{_sbindir}')" = /usr/bin],
+              [enable_usrmerge=bin],
+          [test /usr/sbin/mkfs -ef /usr/bin/mkfs], [enable_usrmerge=bin],
+          [test /sbin -ef /usr/sbin], [enable_usrmerge=sbin],
+          [enable_usrmerge=no])
+])
+
 # Checks for libraries.
 AC_CHECK_LIB([uuid], [uuid_generate],
 	[AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBUUID], 1,
@@ -185,8 +204,37 @@ AC_SYS_LARGEFILE
 AC_PREFIX_DEFAULT([/usr])
 test "x$prefix" = "xNONE" && prefix="/usr"
 test "x$exec_prefix" = "xNONE" && exec_prefix="${prefix}"
-AC_SUBST([root_sbindir], [/sbin])
-AC_SUBST([sbindir], [${exec_prefix}/sbin])
+
+# Determine the location of /sbin binaries based on the --enable-usrmerge
+# option
+AS_CASE(["x$enable_usrmerge"],
+    [xbin], [
+        core_sbindir='${exec_prefix}/bin'
+        sbindir='${exec_prefix}/bin'
+        badblocksdir='/usr/bin'
+        create_compat_sbin_link=yes
+    ],
+    [xsbin|xyes], [
+        core_sbindir='${exec_prefix}/sbin'
+        sbindir='${exec_prefix}/sbin'
+        badblocksdir='/usr/sbin'
+        create_compat_sbin_link=no
+    ],
+    [
+        core_sbindir='/sbin'
+        sbindir='${exec_prefix}/sbin'
+        badblocksdir='/sbin'
+        create_compat_sbin_link=no
+    ]
+)
+
+AC_SUBST([core_sbindir])
+AC_SUBST([sbindir])
+AC_SUBST([badblocksdir])
+
+AM_CONDITIONAL([CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK],
+	       [test "x$create_compat_sbin_link" = "xyes"])
+
 AC_SUBST([sysconfdir], [/etc])
 AC_SUBST([localstatedir], [/var])
 
diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index bcf703e..fadbad8 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ## Makefile.am
 
 AM_CFLAGS = -Wall
-AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include -DCORE_SBINDIR=\"$(core_sbindir)\"
 
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libnilfs.la libnilfsgc.la libnilfscleaner.la
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = librealpath.la libnilfsfeature.la libparser.la \
diff --git a/lib/cleaner_exec.c b/lib/cleaner_exec.c
index 718890f..667a6e0 100644
--- a/lib/cleaner_exec.c
+++ b/lib/cleaner_exec.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 #define WAIT_CLEANERD_RETRY_INTERVAL	2	/* in seconds */
 #define WAIT_CLEANERD_RETRY_TIMEOUT	8	/* in seconds */
 
-static const char cleanerd[] = "/sbin/" NILFS_CLEANERD_NAME;
+static const char cleanerd[] = CORE_SBINDIR "/" NILFS_CLEANERD_NAME;
 static const char cleanerd_protperiod_opt[] = "-p";
 
 static void default_logger(int priority, const char *fmt, ...)
diff --git a/sbin/cleanerd/Makefile.am b/sbin/cleanerd/Makefile.am
index 3a5335d..d1125a7 100644
--- a/sbin/cleanerd/Makefile.am
+++ b/sbin/cleanerd/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ## Makefile.am
 
-root_sbin_PROGRAMS = nilfs_cleanerd
+core_sbin_PROGRAMS = nilfs_cleanerd
 LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libnilfs.la $(top_builddir)/lib/libnilfsgc.la \
 	$(LIB_POSIX_MQ) -luuid
 
@@ -14,4 +14,24 @@ nilfs_cleanerd_LDFLAGS = -static
 
 dist_sysconf_DATA = nilfs_cleanerd.conf
 
+if CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+install-exec-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(core_sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        echo "  LN      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        ln -sf ../bin/$$p $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+
+uninstall-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(core_sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        if [ -L "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p" ]; then \
+	            echo "  RM      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	            rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        fi; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+endif  # CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+
 EXTRA_DIST = .gitignore
diff --git a/sbin/mkfs/Makefile.am b/sbin/mkfs/Makefile.am
index 1c1c340..e33a380 100644
--- a/sbin/mkfs/Makefile.am
+++ b/sbin/mkfs/Makefile.am
@@ -1,13 +1,33 @@
 ## Makefile.am
 
 AM_CFLAGS = -Wall
-AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include -DBADBLOCKSDIR=\"$(badblocksdir)\"
 LDADD = $(LIB_BLKID) -luuid $(top_builddir)/lib/libnilfsfeature.la \
 	$(top_builddir)/lib/libmountchk.la \
 	$(top_builddir)/lib/libcrc32.la
 
-root_sbin_PROGRAMS = mkfs.nilfs2
+core_sbin_PROGRAMS = mkfs.nilfs2
 
 mkfs_nilfs2_SOURCES = mkfs.c bitops.c mkfs.h
 
+if CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+install-exec-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(core_sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        echo "  LN      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        ln -sf ../bin/$$p $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+
+uninstall-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(core_sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        if [ -L "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p" ]; then \
+	            echo "  RM      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	            rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        fi; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+endif  # CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+
 EXTRA_DIST = .gitignore
diff --git a/sbin/mkfs/mkfs.c b/sbin/mkfs/mkfs.c
index 5bc13a1..0c63bae 100644
--- a/sbin/mkfs/mkfs.c
+++ b/sbin/mkfs/mkfs.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ extern __u32 crc32_le(__u32 seed, unsigned char const *data, size_t length);
 
 #define BADBLOCKS_NAME		"badblocks"
 
-static const char badblocks[] = "/sbin/" BADBLOCKS_NAME;
+static const char badblocks[] = BADBLOCKSDIR "/" BADBLOCKS_NAME;
 
 /*
  * Command interface primitives
diff --git a/sbin/mount/Makefile.am b/sbin/mount/Makefile.am
index f5d3c27..eea56ff 100644
--- a/sbin/mount/Makefile.am
+++ b/sbin/mount/Makefile.am
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@ LEGACYSOURCES = fstab.c mount_mntent.c mount_opts.c
 LEGACYHEADERS = fstab.h mount_constants.h mount_mntent.h mount_opts.h
 
 AM_CFLAGS = -Wall
-AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include -DCORE_SBINDIR=\"$(core_sbindir)\"
 LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/librealpath.la \
 	$(top_builddir)/lib/libcleanerexec.la $(LIB_MOUNT) $(LIB_SELINUX) \
 	$(LIB_POSIX_TIMER)
 
-root_sbin_PROGRAMS = mount.nilfs2 umount.nilfs2
+core_sbin_PROGRAMS = mount.nilfs2 umount.nilfs2
 
 if CONFIG_LIBMOUNT
 
@@ -32,4 +32,24 @@ umount_nilfs2_SOURCES = umount.nilfs2.c $(COMMONSOURCES) $(COMMONHEADERS)
 
 endif  # CONFIG_LIBMOUNT
 
+if CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+install-exec-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(core_sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        echo "  LN      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        ln -sf ../bin/$$p $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+
+uninstall-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(core_sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        if [ -L "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p" ]; then \
+	            echo "  RM      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	            rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        fi; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+endif  # CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+
 EXTRA_DIST = .gitignore
diff --git a/sbin/nilfs-clean/Makefile.am b/sbin/nilfs-clean/Makefile.am
index 05b0510..55e5ab2 100644
--- a/sbin/nilfs-clean/Makefile.am
+++ b/sbin/nilfs-clean/Makefile.am
@@ -10,4 +10,24 @@ sbin_PROGRAMS = nilfs-clean
 
 nilfs_clean_SOURCES = nilfs-clean.c
 
+if CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+install-exec-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        echo "  LN      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        ln -sf ../bin/$$p $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+
+uninstall-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        if [ -L "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p" ]; then \
+	            echo "  RM      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	            rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        fi; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+endif  # CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+
 EXTRA_DIST = .gitignore
diff --git a/sbin/nilfs-resize/Makefile.am b/sbin/nilfs-resize/Makefile.am
index 28db9f0..730c990 100644
--- a/sbin/nilfs-resize/Makefile.am
+++ b/sbin/nilfs-resize/Makefile.am
@@ -10,4 +10,24 @@ sbin_PROGRAMS = nilfs-resize
 
 nilfs_resize_SOURCES = nilfs-resize.c
 
+if CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+install-exec-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        echo "  LN      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        ln -sf ../bin/$$p $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+
+uninstall-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        if [ -L "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p" ]; then \
+	            echo "  RM      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	            rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        fi; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+endif  # CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+
 EXTRA_DIST = .gitignore
diff --git a/sbin/nilfs-tune/Makefile.am b/sbin/nilfs-tune/Makefile.am
index 63fe62b..18d57f2 100644
--- a/sbin/nilfs-tune/Makefile.am
+++ b/sbin/nilfs-tune/Makefile.am
@@ -10,4 +10,24 @@ sbin_PROGRAMS = nilfs-tune
 
 nilfs_tune_SOURCES = nilfs-tune.c
 
+if CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+install-exec-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        echo "  LN      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        ln -sf ../bin/$$p $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+
+uninstall-hook:
+	@if [ -d "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin" ]; then \
+	    for p in $(sbin_PROGRAMS); do \
+	        if [ -L "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p" ]; then \
+	            echo "  RM      $(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	            rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(exec_prefix)/sbin/$$p"; \
+	        fi; \
+	    done; \
+	fi
+endif  # CREATE_COMPAT_SBIN_LINK
+
 EXTRA_DIST = .gitignore