diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/install.py b/Lib/distutils/command/install.py
index b5336fefd67..60e4df0fea6 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/install.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/install.py
@@ -17,6 +17,87 @@ from distutils.file_util import write_file
 from distutils.util import convert_path, change_root, get_platform
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsOptionError
 
+# kept for backward compat, will be removed in 3.2
+if sys.version < "2.2":
+    WINDOWS_SCHEME = {
+        'purelib': '$base',
+        'platlib': '$base',
+        'headers': '$base/Include/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$base/Scripts',
+        'data'   : '$base',
+    }
+else:
+    WINDOWS_SCHEME = {
+        'purelib': '$base/Lib/site-packages',
+        'platlib': '$base/Lib/site-packages',
+        'headers': '$base/Include/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$base/Scripts',
+        'data'   : '$base',
+    }
+
+INSTALL_SCHEMES = {
+    'unix_prefix': {
+        'purelib': '$base/lib/python$py_version_short/site-packages',
+        'platlib': '$platbase/lib/python$py_version_short/site-packages',
+        'headers': '$base/include/python$py_version_short/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$base/bin',
+        'data'   : '$base',
+        },
+    'unix_home': {
+        'purelib': '$base/lib/python',
+        'platlib': '$base/lib/python',
+        'headers': '$base/include/python/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$base/bin',
+        'data'   : '$base',
+        },
+    'unix_user': {
+        'purelib': '$usersite',
+        'platlib': '$usersite',
+        'headers': '$userbase/include/python$py_version_short/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$userbase/bin',
+        'data'   : '$userbase',
+        },
+    'nt': WINDOWS_SCHEME,
+    'nt_user': {
+        'purelib': '$usersite',
+        'platlib': '$usersite',
+        'headers': '$userbase/Python$py_version_nodot/Include/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$userbase/Scripts',
+        'data'   : '$userbase',
+        },
+    'mac': {
+        'purelib': '$base/Lib/site-packages',
+        'platlib': '$base/Lib/site-packages',
+        'headers': '$base/Include/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$base/Scripts',
+        'data'   : '$base',
+        },
+    'mac_user': {
+        'purelib': '$usersite',
+        'platlib': '$usersite',
+        'headers': '$userbase/$py_version_short/include/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$userbase/bin',
+        'data'   : '$userbase',
+        },
+    'os2': {
+        'purelib': '$base/Lib/site-packages',
+        'platlib': '$base/Lib/site-packages',
+        'headers': '$base/Include/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$base/Scripts',
+        'data'   : '$base',
+        },
+    'os2_home': {
+        'purelib': '$usersite',
+        'platlib': '$usersite',
+        'headers': '$userbase/include/python$py_version_short/$dist_name',
+        'scripts': '$userbase/bin',
+        'data'   : '$userbase',
+        },
+    }
+
+SCHEME_KEYS = ('purelib', 'platlib', 'headers', 'scripts', 'data')
+# end of backward compat
+
 def _subst_vars(s, local_vars):
     try:
         return s.format(**local_vars)