diff --git a/engine/common/launcher.c b/engine/common/launcher.c
index 9410024c..598c1c17 100644
--- a/engine/common/launcher.c
+++ b/engine/common/launcher.c
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ __declspec(dllexport) int AmdPowerXpressRequestHighPerformance = 1;
 #endif
 
 #define E_GAME	"XASH3D_GAME" // default env dir to start from
-#define GAME_PATH	"valve"	// default dir to start from
+#ifndef XASH_GAMEDIR
+#define XASH_GAMEDIR	"valve"
+#endif
 
 static char        szGameDir[128]; // safe place to keep gamedir
 static int         szArgc;
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ _inline int Sys_Start( void )
 	const char *game = getenv( E_GAME );
 
 	if( !game )
-		game = GAME_PATH;
+		game = XASH_GAMEDIR;
 
 	Q_strncpy( szGameDir, game, sizeof( szGameDir ));
 #if XASH_EMSCRIPTEN
diff --git a/game_launch/game.cpp b/game_launch/game.cpp
index 98389f9f..704c9f16 100644
--- a/game_launch/game.cpp
+++ b/game_launch/game.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ __declspec(dllexport) int AmdPowerXpressRequestHighPerformance = 1;
 #endif
 
 #define E_GAME	"XASH3D_GAME" // default env dir to start from
-#define GAME_PATH	"valve"	// default dir to start from
+#ifndef XASH_GAMEDIR
+#define XASH_GAMEDIR	"valve"
+#endif
 
 typedef void (*pfnChangeGame)( const char *progname );
 typedef int  (*pfnInit)( int argc, char **argv, const char *progname, int bChangeGame, pfnChangeGame func );
@@ -152,7 +154,7 @@ _inline int Sys_Start( void )
 	const char *game = getenv( E_GAME );
 
 	if( !game )
-		game = GAME_PATH;
+		game = XASH_GAMEDIR;
 
 	strncpy( szGameDir, game, sizeof( szGameDir ) - 1 );
 
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index b8916809..5210889c 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ def options(opt):
 	grp.add_option('-d', '--dedicated', action = 'store_true', dest = 'DEDICATED', default = False,
 		help = 'build Xash Dedicated Server [default: %default]')
 
+	grp.add_option('--gamedir', action = 'store', dest = 'GAMEDIR', default = 'valve',
+		help = 'engine default game directory [default: %default]')
+
 	grp.add_option('--single-binary', action = 'store_true', dest = 'SINGLE_BINARY', default = False,
 		help = 'build single "xash" binary (always enabled for dedicated) [default: %default]')
 
@@ -268,6 +271,9 @@ def configure(conf):
 	conf.env.GL     = conf.options.GL or conf.options.ALL_RENDERERS
 	conf.env.SOFT   = conf.options.SOFT or conf.options.ALL_RENDERERS
 
+	conf.env.GAMEDIR = conf.options.GAMEDIR
+	conf.define('XASH_GAMEDIR', conf.options.GAMEDIR)
+
 	if conf.env.DEST_OS != 'win32':
 		conf.check_cc(lib='dl', mandatory=False)