diff --git a/include/optlist.h b/include/optlist.h
index efee4a80..44372c50 100644
--- a/include/optlist.h
+++ b/include/optlist.h
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 
 #include "nsc.h"
 
-/* Default econfig file */
 extern char dflt_econfig[];
 
 /* Game parameters, can be set in econfig */
@@ -45,7 +44,8 @@ extern char dflt_econfig[];
 #include "econfig-spec.h"
 #undef	EMP_CONFIG_H_OUTPUT
 
-/* Variables that get values derived from econfig */
+extern char *configdir;
+
 extern char *motdfil;
 extern char *downfil;
 extern char *disablefil;
diff --git a/src/lib/gen/emp_config.c b/src/lib/gen/emp_config.c
index 1f31a597..fba69426 100644
--- a/src/lib/gen/emp_config.c
+++ b/src/lib/gen/emp_config.c
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ emp_config(char *file)
     char scanspace[1024];
     char *av[128];
     char buf[1024];
+    char *slash;
     struct keymatch *kp;
     int lno = 0;
     int errors = 0;
@@ -94,6 +95,11 @@ emp_config(char *file)
 	return -1;
     }
 
+    if ((slash = strrchr(file, '/')))
+	configdir = strndup(file, slash + 1 - file);
+    else
+	configdir = NULL;
+
     while (fgets(buf, sizeof buf, fp) != NULL) {
 	++lno;
 	for (i = 0; buf[i] && isspace(buf[i]); ++i) ;
diff --git a/src/lib/global/path.c.in b/src/lib/global/path.c.in
index b1b70ebc..37e9b9ef 100644
--- a/src/lib/global/path.c.in
+++ b/src/lib/global/path.c.in
@@ -37,8 +37,16 @@
 
 #include "optlist.h"
 
+/* econfig file to try when user doesn't specify one */
 char dflt_econfig[] = "@econfig@";
+
+/* Where to find configuration, which is wherever econfig is looked for */
+char *configdir;
+
+/* Where to find info pages */
 char *infodir	= "@einfodir@";
+
+/* Where this game's data is stored */
 char *gamedir	= "@gamedir@";
 
 /* relative to DATADIR */