diff --git a/src/panel/plugin_manager.vala b/src/panel/plugin_manager.vala
index d3cdb65c..9d569bd1 100644
--- a/src/panel/plugin_manager.vala
+++ b/src/panel/plugin_manager.vala
@@ -40,10 +40,26 @@ namespace Budgie {
 			}
 
 			/* System path */
-			var dir = Environment.get_user_data_dir();
-			engine.add_search_path(Budgie.MODULE_DIRECTORY, Budgie.MODULE_DATA_DIRECTORY);
+			var libdir = Environment.get_variable("BUDGIE_PLUGIN_LIBDIR");
+			if (libdir != null) {
+				debug("BUDGIE_PLUGIN_LIBDIR is set to %s", libdir);
+			} else {
+				debug("BUDGIE_PLUGIN_LIBDIR is unset, defaulting to %s", Budgie.MODULE_DIRECTORY);
+				libdir = Budgie.MODULE_DIRECTORY;
+			}
+
+			var datadir = Environment.get_variable("BUDGIE_PLUGIN_DATADIR");
+			if (datadir != null) {
+				debug("BUDGIE_PLUGIN_DATADIR is set to %s", datadir);
+			} else {
+				debug("BUDGIE_PLUGIN_DATADIR is unset, defaulting to %s", Budgie.MODULE_DATA_DIRECTORY);
+				datadir = Budgie.MODULE_DATA_DIRECTORY;
+			}
+
+			engine.add_search_path(libdir, datadir);
 
 			/* User path */
+			var dir = Environment.get_user_data_dir();
 			var user_mod = Path.build_path(Path.DIR_SEPARATOR_S, dir, "budgie-desktop", "plugins");
 			var hdata = Path.build_path(Path.DIR_SEPARATOR_S, dir, "budgie-desktop", "data");
 			engine.add_search_path(user_mod, hdata);
diff --git a/src/raven/plugin_manager.vala b/src/raven/plugin_manager.vala
index b0814693..d671109a 100644
--- a/src/raven/plugin_manager.vala
+++ b/src/raven/plugin_manager.vala
@@ -51,10 +51,26 @@ namespace Budgie {
 			}
 
 			/* System path */
-			var dir = Environment.get_user_data_dir();
-			engine.add_search_path(Budgie.RAVEN_PLUGIN_LIBDIR, Budgie.RAVEN_PLUGIN_DATADIR);
+			var libdir = Environment.get_variable("RAVEN_PLUGIN_LIBDIR");
+			if (libdir != null) {
+				debug("RAVEN_PLUGIN_LIBDIR is set to %s", libdir);
+			} else {
+				debug("RAVEN_PLUGIN_LIBDIR is unset, defaulting to %s", Budgie.RAVEN_PLUGIN_LIBDIR);
+				libdir = Budgie.RAVEN_PLUGIN_LIBDIR;
+			}
+
+			var datadir = Environment.get_variable("RAVEN_PLUGIN_DATADIR");
+			if (datadir != null) {
+				debug("RAVEN_PLUGIN_DATADIR is set to %s", datadir);
+			} else {
+				debug("RAVEN_PLUGIN_DATADIR is unset, defaulting to %s", Budgie.RAVEN_PLUGIN_DATADIR);
+				datadir = Budgie.RAVEN_PLUGIN_DATADIR;
+			}
+
+			engine.add_search_path(libdir, datadir);
 
 			/* User path */
+			var dir = Environment.get_user_data_dir();
 			var user_mod = Path.build_path(Path.DIR_SEPARATOR_S, dir, "budgie-desktop", "raven-plugins");
 			var hdata = Path.build_path(Path.DIR_SEPARATOR_S, dir, "budgie-desktop", "raven-data");
 			engine.add_search_path(user_mod, hdata);