diff --git a/src/juliapkg/find_julia.py b/src/juliapkg/find_julia.py
index 86015ef..2ed9d5f 100644
--- a/src/juliapkg/find_julia.py
+++ b/src/juliapkg/find_julia.py
@@ -172,7 +172,12 @@ def ju_find_julia(compat=None, install=False):
 
 
 def ju_find_julia_noinstall(compat=None):
-    judir = os.path.join(STATE["depot"], "juliaup")
+    # juliaup does not follow JULIA_DEPOT_PATH, but instead defines its
+    # own env var for overriding ~/.julia
+    ju_depot_path = os.getenv("JULIAUP_DEPOT_PATH")
+    if not ju_depot_path:
+        ju_depot_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".julia"))
+    judir = os.path.join(ju_depot_path, "juliaup")
     metaname = os.path.join(judir, "juliaup.json")
     arch = get_short_arch()
     if os.path.exists(metaname):