'make install' fails when the configure 'prefix' is '/' and DESTDIR is used

GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = None
created_at = <Date 2017-08-03.17:40:40.135>
labels = ['type-bug', '3.7', 'build']
title = "'make install' fails when the configure 'prefix' is '/' and DESTDIR is used"
updated_at = <Date 2019-12-10.12:01:16.245>
user = 'https://github.com/xdegaye'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2019-12-10.12:01:16.245>
actor = 'xdegaye'
assignee = 'none'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Cross-Build']
creation = <Date 2017-08-03.17:40:40.135>
creator = 'xdegaye'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 31114
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 5.0
messages = ['299718', '299779', '305218', '305221', '305248']
nosy_count = 3.0
nosy_names = ['pitrou', 'martin.panter', 'Alex.Willmer']
pr_nums = ['4172']
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = 'patch review'
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = 'behavior'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue31114'
versions = ['Python 2.7', 'Python 3.6', 'Python 3.7']