diff --git a/doc/minetest.6 b/doc/minetest.6
index d94c12cb6..ff5452029 100644
--- a/doc/minetest.6
+++ b/doc/minetest.6
@@ -83,6 +83,12 @@ Set world path
 Migrate from current map backend to another. Possible values are sqlite3
 and leveldb. Only works when using --server.
 
+.SH ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
+
+.TP
+MINETEST_SUBGAME_PATH
+Colon delimited list of directories to search for subgames.
+
 .SH BUGS
 Please report all bugs to Perttu Ahola <celeron55@gmail.com>.
 
diff --git a/src/subgame.cpp b/src/subgame.cpp
index f2465c93e..e86655bc1 100644
--- a/src/subgame.cpp
+++ b/src/subgame.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 #include "filesys.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 #include "log.h"
+#include "strfnd.h"
 #ifndef SERVER
 #include "tile.h" // getImagePath
 #endif
@@ -59,6 +60,17 @@ struct GameFindPath
 	{}
 };
 
+Strfnd getSubgamePathEnv() {
+  std::string sp;
+  char *subgame_path = getenv("MINETEST_SUBGAME_PATH");
+
+  if(subgame_path) {
+    sp = std::string(subgame_path);
+  }
+
+  return Strfnd(sp);
+}
+
 SubgameSpec findSubgame(const std::string &id)
 {
 	if(id == "")
@@ -66,6 +78,17 @@ SubgameSpec findSubgame(const std::string &id)
 	std::string share = porting::path_share;
 	std::string user = porting::path_user;
 	std::vector<GameFindPath> find_paths;
+
+        Strfnd search_paths = getSubgamePathEnv();
+
+        while(!search_paths.atend()) {
+                std::string path = search_paths.next(":");
+                find_paths.push_back(GameFindPath(
+                                       path + DIR_DELIM + id, false));
+                find_paths.push_back(GameFindPath(
+                                       path + DIR_DELIM + id + "_game", false));
+        }
+
 	find_paths.push_back(GameFindPath(
 			user + DIR_DELIM + "games" + DIR_DELIM + id + "_game", true));
 	find_paths.push_back(GameFindPath(
@@ -129,6 +152,13 @@ std::set<std::string> getAvailableGameIds()
 	std::set<std::string> gamespaths;
 	gamespaths.insert(porting::path_share + DIR_DELIM + "games");
 	gamespaths.insert(porting::path_user + DIR_DELIM + "games");
+
+        Strfnd search_paths = getSubgamePathEnv();
+
+        while(!search_paths.atend()) {
+                gamespaths.insert(search_paths.next(":"));
+        }
+
 	for(std::set<std::string>::const_iterator i = gamespaths.begin();
 			i != gamespaths.end(); i++){
 		std::vector<fs::DirListNode> dirlist = fs::GetDirListing(*i);