diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d650c1fa..4e132016 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ To install xdg-ninja with [Homebrew](https://brew.sh), run `brew install xdg-nin
 
 ## Configuration
 
-The configuration is done in the _programs/_ directory.
+The configuration is done in the _programs/_ directory, which should be located in the same working directory as the xdg-ninja.sh script. This can be overriden with the `XN_PROGRAMS_DIR` environment variable.
 
 You define a program, and then a list of files and directories which this program ruthlessly puts into your _$HOME_ directory.
 
diff --git a/xdg-ninja.sh b/xdg-ninja.sh
index 8a0ff98c..8780de7a 100755
--- a/xdg-ninja.sh
+++ b/xdg-ninja.sh
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ do_check_programs() {
 " read -r name; read -r filename; read -r movable; read -r help; do
         check_file "$name" "$filename" "$movable" "$help"
     done <<EOF
-$(jq 'inputs as $input | $input.files[] as $file | $input.name, $file.path, $file.movable, $file.help' "$(realpath "$0" | xargs dirname)"/programs/* | sed -e 's/^"//' -e 's/"$//')
+$(jq 'inputs as $input | $input.files[] as $file | $input.name, $file.path, $file.movable, $file.help' "$XN_PROGRAMS_DIR"/* | sed -e 's/^"//' -e 's/"$//')
 EOF
 # sed is to trim quotes
 }
@@ -233,6 +233,9 @@ check_programs() {
     printf "\n"
 }
 
+[ "$XN_PROGRAMS_DIR" ] ||
+    XN_PROGRAMS_DIR="$(realpath "$0" | xargs dirname | sed 's:/bin$:/share/xdg-ninja:g')/programs"
+
 check_programs
 if [ $FIXABLE -gt 100 ]; then
     exit 101