diff --git a/DOCS/encoding.rst b/DOCS/encoding.rst
index 9c6c067589..341024d22c 100644
--- a/DOCS/encoding.rst
+++ b/DOCS/encoding.rst
@@ -97,12 +97,9 @@ Device targets
 As the options for various devices can get complex, profiles can be used.
 
 An example profile file for encoding is provided in
-etc/encoding-profiles.conf in the source tree. This file is installed and loaded
-by default. If you want to modify it, you can replace and it with your own copy
-by doing::
-
-  mkdir -p ~/.mpv
-  cp /etc/mpv/encoding-profiles.conf ~/.mpv/encoding-profiles.conf
+etc/encoding-profiles.conf in the source tree. mpv will read any file
+named ``encoding-profiles.conf`` in either the local or system
+configuration directories.
 
 Keep in mind that the default profile is the playback one. If you want to add
 options that apply only in encoding mode, put them into a ``[encoding]``
diff --git a/DOCS/interface-changes/encoding-profiles.txt b/DOCS/interface-changes/encoding-profiles.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7dce013510
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DOCS/interface-changes/encoding-profiles.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+`encoding-profiles.conf` is no longer installed by default into the system configuration directory and is instead installed in the data directory
diff --git a/etc/encoding-profiles.conf b/etc/encoding-profiles.conf
index 77a0d91b8f..59bdbd7a87 100644
--- a/etc/encoding-profiles.conf
+++ b/etc/encoding-profiles.conf
@@ -6,10 +6,9 @@
 # encoding profile file #
 #########################
 #
-# Note: by default, this file is installed to /etc/mpv/encoding-profiles.conf
-# (or a different location, depending on --prefix). mpv will load it by
-# default on program start. If ~/.mpv/encoding-profiles.conf exists, this file
-# will be loaded instead.
+# Note: This file contains predefined encoding-related profiles that were
+# installed and loaded by default in old versions of mpv. Consider this a
+# historical reference.
 #
 # Then, list all profiles by
 #   mpv --profile=help | grep enc-
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index c50881ebf0..cbf703cae5 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1781,9 +1781,8 @@ endif
 
 if get_option('cplayer')
     datadir = get_option('datadir')
-    confdir = get_option('sysconfdir')
 
-    conf_files = ['etc/mpv.conf', 'etc/input.conf',
+    conf_files = ['etc/mpv.conf', 'etc/encoding-profiles.conf', 'etc/input.conf',
                   'etc/mplayer-input.conf', 'etc/restore-old-bindings.conf',
                   'etc/restore-osc-bindings.conf']
     install_data(conf_files, install_dir: join_paths(datadir, 'doc', 'mpv'))
@@ -1798,7 +1797,6 @@ if get_option('cplayer')
     install_data('etc/mpv.fish', install_dir: fish_install_dir, rename: 'mpv.fish')
 
     install_data('etc/mpv.metainfo.xml', install_dir: join_paths(datadir, 'metainfo'))
-    install_data('etc/encoding-profiles.conf', install_dir: join_paths(confdir, 'mpv'))
 
     foreach size: ['16x16', '32x32', '64x64', '128x128']
         icon_dir = join_paths(datadir, 'icons', 'hicolor', size, 'apps')