diff --git a/lib/base.php b/lib/base.php
index 8fe7964fab63..f61a35550aa7 100644
--- a/lib/base.php
+++ b/lib/base.php
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ public static function initPaths() {
 			self::$configDir = OC::$SERVERROOT . '/' . PHPUNIT_CONFIG_DIR . '/';
 		} elseif(defined('PHPUNIT_RUN') and PHPUNIT_RUN and is_dir(OC::$SERVERROOT . '/tests/config/')) {
 			self::$configDir = OC::$SERVERROOT . '/tests/config/';
+		} elseif($dir = getenv('OWNCLOUD_CONFIG_DIR')) {
+			self::$configDir = rtrim($dir, '/') . '/';
 		} else {
 			self::$configDir = OC::$SERVERROOT . '/config/';
 		}