diff --git a/awesomeConfig.cmake b/awesomeConfig.cmake
index e2bb98c4..eb4e1280 100644
--- a/awesomeConfig.cmake
+++ b/awesomeConfig.cmake
@@ -235,6 +235,13 @@ else()
     set(XDG_CONFIG_DIR ${SYSCONFDIR}/xdg CACHE PATH "xdg config directory")
 endif()
 
+# setting AWESOME_DATA_PATH
+if(DEFINED AWESOME_DATA_PATH)
+    set(AWESOME_DATA_PATH ${AWESOME_DATA_PATH} CACHE PATH "awesome share directory")
+else()
+    set(AWESOME_DATA_PATH ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/${PROJECT_AWE_NAME} CACHE PATH "awesome share directory")
+endif()
+
 # setting AWESOME_DOC_PATH
 if(DEFINED AWESOME_DOC_PATH)
     set(AWESOME_DOC_PATH ${AWESOME_DOC_PATH} CACHE PATH "awesome docs directory")
@@ -265,7 +272,6 @@ set(AWESOME_COMPILE_HOSTNAME ${BUILDHOSTNAME})
 set(AWESOME_COMPILE_BY       $ENV{USER})
 set(AWESOME_RELEASE          ${CODENAME})
 set(AWESOME_SYSCONFDIR       ${XDG_CONFIG_DIR}/${PROJECT_AWE_NAME})
-set(AWESOME_DATA_PATH        ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/${PROJECT_AWE_NAME})
 set(AWESOME_LUA_LIB_PATH     ${AWESOME_DATA_PATH}/lib)
 set(AWESOME_ICON_PATH        ${AWESOME_DATA_PATH}/icons)
 set(AWESOME_THEMES_PATH      ${AWESOME_DATA_PATH}/themes)