diff --git a/launcher/Application.cpp b/launcher/Application.cpp
index 6d30d1101..2c0c3fca5 100644
--- a/launcher/Application.cpp
+++ b/launcher/Application.cpp
@@ -292,12 +292,17 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv) : QApplication(argc, argv)
     QString adjustedBy;
     QString dataPath;
     // change folder
+    QString dataDirEnv;
     QString dirParam = parser.value("dir");
     if (!dirParam.isEmpty()) {
         // the dir param. it makes multimc data path point to whatever the user specified
         // on command line
         adjustedBy = "Command line";
         dataPath = dirParam;
+    } else if (dataDirEnv = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment().value(QString("%1_DATA_DIR").arg(BuildConfig.LAUNCHER_NAME.toUpper()));
+               !dataDirEnv.isEmpty()) {
+        adjustedBy = "System environment";
+        dataPath = dataDirEnv;
     } else {
         QDir foo;
         if (DesktopServices::isSnap()) {
@@ -443,7 +448,7 @@ Application::Application(int& argc, char** argv) : QApplication(argc, argv)
 
         // search the dataPath()
         // seach app data standard path
-        if (!foundLoggingRules && !isPortable() && dirParam.isEmpty()) {
+        if (!foundLoggingRules && !isPortable() && dirParam.isEmpty() && dataDirEnv.isEmpty()) {
             logRulesPath = QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::AppDataLocation, FS::PathCombine("..", logRulesFile));
             if (!logRulesPath.isEmpty()) {
                 qDebug() << "Found" << logRulesPath << "...";
diff --git a/launcher/updater/prismupdater/PrismUpdater.cpp b/launcher/updater/prismupdater/PrismUpdater.cpp
index a83953607..6b9754864 100644
--- a/launcher/updater/prismupdater/PrismUpdater.cpp
+++ b/launcher/updater/prismupdater/PrismUpdater.cpp
@@ -335,6 +335,16 @@ PrismUpdaterApp::PrismUpdaterApp(int& argc, char** argv) : QApplication(argc, ar
         if (QFile::exists(FS::PathCombine(m_rootPath, "portable.txt"))) {
             m_isPortable = true;
         }
+#endif
+    } else if (auto dataDirEnv =
+                   QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment().value(QString("%1_DATA_DIR").arg(BuildConfig.LAUNCHER_NAME.toUpper()));
+               !dataDirEnv.isEmpty()) {
+        adjustedBy = "System environment";
+        m_dataPath = dataDirEnv;
+#ifndef Q_OS_MACOS
+        if (QFile::exists(FS::PathCombine(m_rootPath, "portable.txt"))) {
+            m_isPortable = true;
+        }
 #endif
     } else {
         QDir foo(FS::PathCombine(QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::AppDataLocation), ".."));