diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 438a6414b3bf..43599daf80db 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ core_vendor=core/vendor
 
 core_doc_files=AUTHORS COPYING README.md CHANGELOG.md
 core_src_files=$(wildcard *.php) index.html db_structure.xml .htaccess .user.ini robots.txt
-core_src_dirs=apps core l10n lib occ ocs ocs-provider ocm-provider resources settings
+core_src_dirs=apps apps-external core l10n lib occ ocs ocs-provider ocm-provider resources settings
 core_test_dirs=tests
 core_all_src=$(core_src_files) $(core_src_dirs) $(core_doc_files)
 core_config_files=config/config.sample.php config/config.apps.sample.php
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ $(dist_dir)/owncloud: $(composer_deps) $(core_vendor) $(core_all_src)
 	rm -Rf $@/core/vendor/*/{.bower.json,bower.json,package.json,testem.json}
 	rm -Rf $@/l10n/
 	find $@/core/ -iname \*.sh -delete
-	find $@/{apps/,lib/composer/,core/vendor/} \( \
+	find $@/{apps/,apps-external/,lib/composer/,core/vendor/} \( \
 		-name bin -o \
 		-name test -o \
 		-name tests -o \
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ $(dist_dir)/owncloud: $(composer_deps) $(core_vendor) $(core_all_src)
 		-name travis -o \
 		-iname \*.sh \
 		\) -print | xargs rm -Rf
-	find $@/{apps/,lib/composer/} -iname \*.exe -delete
+	find $@/{apps/,apps-external/,lib/composer/} -iname \*.exe -delete
 	# Set build
 	$(eval _BUILD="$(shell date -u --iso-8601=seconds) $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)")
 	# Replace channel in version.php
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ $(dist_dir)/qa/owncloud: $(composer_dev_deps) $(core_vendor) $(core_all_src) $(c
 	rm -Rf $@/core/vendor/*/{.bower.json,bower.json,package.json,testem.json}
 	rm -Rf $@/l10n/
 	find $@/core/ -iname \*.sh -delete
-	find $@/{apps/,lib/composer/,core/vendor/} \( \
+	find $@/{apps/,apps-external/,lib/composer/,core/vendor/} \( \
 		-name test -o \
 		-name examples -o \
 		-name demo -o \
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ $(dist_dir)/qa/owncloud: $(composer_dev_deps) $(core_vendor) $(core_all_src) $(c
 		-name travis -o \
 		-iname \*.sh \
 		\) -print | xargs rm -Rf
-	find $@/{apps/,lib/composer/} -iname \*.exe -delete
+	find $@/{apps/,apps-external/,lib/composer/} -iname \*.exe -delete
 	# Set build
 	$(eval _BUILD="$(shell date -u --iso-8601=seconds) $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)")
 	# Replace channel in version.php
diff --git a/apps-external/.gitkeep b/apps-external/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/lib/private/Setup.php b/lib/private/Setup.php
index a7da05d06b60..e25dd363bc83 100644
--- a/lib/private/Setup.php
+++ b/lib/private/Setup.php
@@ -383,6 +383,29 @@ public function install($options) {
 				$config->setSystemValue('logtimezone', \date_default_timezone_get());
 			}
 
+			// adding the apps-external directory by default using apps_path
+			$apps2Key = \OC::$server->getSystemConfig()->getValue('apps_paths', false);
+
+			// add the key only if it does not exist (protect against overwriting)
+			if ($apps2Key === false) {
+				$defaultAppsPaths = [
+					'apps_paths' => [
+						[
+							"path" => \OC::$SERVERROOT . '/apps',
+							"url" => "/apps",
+							"writable" => false
+						],
+						[
+							"path" => \OC::$SERVERROOT . '/apps-external',
+							"url" => "/apps-external",
+							"writable" => true
+						]
+					]
+				];
+						
+				$config->setSystemValues($defaultAppsPaths);
+			}
+
 			self::installBackgroundJobs();
 
 			// save the origin version that we installed at
@@ -390,6 +413,8 @@ public function install($options) {
 
 			//and we are done
 			$config->setSystemValue('installed', true);
+
+			// finished initial setup
 		}
 
 		return $error;