diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index db4221f1..ef5d18f6 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -429,6 +429,7 @@ exit_help(int exit_code)
   -h, --help             show help\n\
   -v, --version          show version\n\
   -c, --config FILE      configuration file to use\n\
+      --search DIR       add a directory to the library search path\n\
   -k, --check            check configuration file syntax\n\
   -a, --no-argb          disable client transparency support\n\
   -r, --replace          replace an existing window manager\n");
@@ -444,6 +445,7 @@ int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     char *confpath = NULL;
+    string_array_t searchpath;
     int xfd, i, opt;
     ssize_t cmdlen = 1;
     xdgHandle xdg;
@@ -457,6 +459,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
         { "version", 0, NULL, 'v' },
         { "config",  1, NULL, 'c' },
         { "check",   0, NULL, 'k' },
+        { "search",  1, NULL, 's' },
         { "no-argb", 0, NULL, 'a' },
         { "replace", 0, NULL, 'r' },
         { NULL,      0, NULL, 0 }
@@ -471,6 +474,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     globalconf.keygrabber = LUA_REFNIL;
     globalconf.mousegrabber = LUA_REFNIL;
     buffer_init(&globalconf.startup_errors);
+    string_array_init(&searchpath);
 
     /* save argv */
     for(i = 0; i < argc; i++)
@@ -488,12 +492,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     /* Text won't be printed correctly otherwise */
     setlocale(LC_CTYPE, "");
 
-    /* Get XDG basedir data */
-    xdgInitHandle(&xdg);
-
-    /* init lua */
-    luaA_init(&xdg);
-
     /* check args */
     while((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "vhkc:ar",
                              long_options, NULL)) != -1)
@@ -514,6 +512,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
             else
                 fatal("-c option requires a file name");
             break;
+          case 's':
+            if(a_strlen(optarg))
+                string_array_append(&searchpath, a_strdup(optarg));
+            else
+                fatal("-s option requires a directory name");
+            break;
           case 'a':
             no_argb = true;
             break;
@@ -522,6 +526,13 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
             break;
         }
 
+    /* Get XDG basedir data */
+    xdgInitHandle(&xdg);
+
+    /* init lua */
+    luaA_init(&xdg, &searchpath);
+    string_array_wipe(&searchpath);
+
     if (run_test)
     {
         if(!luaA_parserc(&xdg, confpath, false))
diff --git a/luaa.c b/luaa.c
index 2143f39d..ac0d3bb1 100644
--- a/luaa.c
+++ b/luaa.c
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ setup_awesome_signals(lua_State *L)
  * \param xdg An xdg handle to use to get XDG basedir.
  */
 void
-luaA_init(xdgHandle* xdg)
+luaA_init(xdgHandle* xdg, string_array_t *searchpath)
 {
     lua_State *L;
     static const struct luaL_Reg awesome_lib[] =
@@ -681,6 +681,19 @@ luaA_init(xdgHandle* xdg)
     /* Export keys */
     key_class_setup(L);
 
+    /* add XDG_CONFIG_DIR as include path */
+    const char * const *xdgconfigdirs = xdgSearchableConfigDirectories(xdg);
+    for(; *xdgconfigdirs; xdgconfigdirs++)
+    {
+        /* Append /awesome to *xdgconfigdirs */
+        const char *suffix = "/awesome";
+        size_t len = a_strlen(*xdgconfigdirs) + a_strlen(suffix) + 1;
+        char *entry = p_new(char, len);
+        a_strcat(entry, len, *xdgconfigdirs);
+        a_strcat(entry, len, suffix);
+        string_array_append(searchpath, entry);
+    }
+
     /* add Lua search paths */
     lua_getglobal(L, "package");
     if (LUA_TTABLE != lua_type(L, 1))
@@ -696,19 +709,17 @@ luaA_init(xdgHandle* xdg)
         return;
     }
 
-    /* add XDG_CONFIG_DIR as include path */
-    const char * const *xdgconfigdirs = xdgSearchableConfigDirectories(xdg);
-    for(; *xdgconfigdirs; xdgconfigdirs++)
+    foreach(entry, *searchpath)
     {
-        size_t len = a_strlen(*xdgconfigdirs);
+        size_t len = a_strlen(*entry);
         lua_pushliteral(L, ";");
-        lua_pushlstring(L, *xdgconfigdirs, len);
-        lua_pushliteral(L, "/awesome/?.lua");
+        lua_pushlstring(L, *entry, len);
+        lua_pushliteral(L, "/?.lua");
         lua_concat(L, 3);
 
         lua_pushliteral(L, ";");
-        lua_pushlstring(L, *xdgconfigdirs, len);
-        lua_pushliteral(L, "/awesome/?/init.lua");
+        lua_pushlstring(L, *entry, len);
+        lua_pushliteral(L, "/?/init.lua");
         lua_concat(L, 3);
 
         lua_concat(L, 3); /* concatenate with package.path */
diff --git a/luaa.h b/luaa.h
index 6d34492d..01a03ec6 100644
--- a/luaa.h
+++ b/luaa.h
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@
         signal_object_emit(L, &global_signals, "debug::deprecation", 1); \
     } while(0)
 
+static inline void free_string(char **c)
+{
+    p_delete(c);
+}
+
+DO_ARRAY(char*, string, free_string)
+
 /** Print a warning about some Lua code.
  * This is less mean than luaL_error() which setjmp via lua_error() and kills
  * everything. This only warn, it's up to you to then do what's should be done.
@@ -296,7 +303,7 @@ luaA_registerfct(lua_State *L, int idx, int *fct)
     return luaA_register(L, idx, fct);
 }
 
-void luaA_init(xdgHandle *);
+void luaA_init(xdgHandle *, string_array_t *);
 bool luaA_parserc(xdgHandle *, const char *, bool);
 
 /** Global signals */
diff --git a/manpages/awesome.1.de.txt b/manpages/awesome.1.de.txt
index 99dce653..8a1ea4d8 100644
--- a/manpages/awesome.1.de.txt
+++ b/manpages/awesome.1.de.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ awesome - awesome Fenstermanager
 SYNTAX
 --------
 
-*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'Datei'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
+*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'Datei'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*--search* 'Verzeichnis'] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
 
 BESCHREIBUNG
 -----------
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ OPTIONEN
     Nutzung einer alternativen Konfigurationsdatei, statt '$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/awesome/rc.lua'.
 *-k*, *--check*::
     Überprüft die Konfigurationsdatei auf Syntaxfehler.
+*--search*::
+    Füge ein Verzeichnis zum Bibliothekssuchpfad hinzu.
 *-a*, *--no-argb*::
     Verwende keine ARGB-Visuals
 *-r*, *--replace*::
diff --git a/manpages/awesome.1.es.txt b/manpages/awesome.1.es.txt
index 7b9d0319..45901a90 100644
--- a/manpages/awesome.1.es.txt
+++ b/manpages/awesome.1.es.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ awesome - gestor de ventanas awesome
 SINOPSIS
 --------
 
-*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FICHERO'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
+*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FICHERO'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*--search* 'DIRECTORIO'] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
 
 DESCRIPCIÓN
 -----------
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ OPCIONES
 '$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/awesome/rc.lua'.
 *-k*, *--check*::
     Verifica la sintaxis del archivo de configuración.
+*--search*::
+    Añadir un directorio a la ruta de búsqueda de biblioteca.
 *-a*, *--no-argb*::
     No utilice colores ARGB.
 *-r*, *--replace*::
diff --git a/manpages/awesome.1.fr.txt b/manpages/awesome.1.fr.txt
index dbb73fc1..140ee5d5 100644
--- a/manpages/awesome.1.fr.txt
+++ b/manpages/awesome.1.fr.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ awesome - gestionnaire de fenêtres awesome
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 
-*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FILE'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
+*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FILE'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*--search* 'DIRECTORY'] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ OPTIONS
 '$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/awesome/rc.lua'.
 *-k*, *--check*::
     Vérifie la syntaxe du fichier de configuration.
+*--search*::
+    Ajouter un répertoire au chemin de recherche de bibliothèque.
 *-a*, *--no-argb*::
     N'utilise pas le codage ARGB.
 *-r*, *--replace*::
diff --git a/manpages/awesome.1.it.txt b/manpages/awesome.1.it.txt
index caa6ddb1..559c152d 100644
--- a/manpages/awesome.1.it.txt
+++ b/manpages/awesome.1.it.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ awesome - gestore di finestre awesome
 SINOSSI
 --------
 
-*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FILE'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
+*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FILE'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*--search* 'DIRECTORY'] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
 
 DESCRIZIONE
 -----------
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ OPZIONI
 	'$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/awesome/rc.lua'.
 *-k*, *--check*::
 	Verifica la sintassi del file di configurazione.
+*--search*::
+	Aggiungere una directory al percorso di ricerca della libreria.
 *-a*, *--no-argb*::
 	Non usare visuali ARGB.
 *-r*, *--replace*::
diff --git a/manpages/awesome.1.ru.txt b/manpages/awesome.1.ru.txt
index c09ddb57..fb9f7e14 100644
--- a/manpages/awesome.1.ru.txt
+++ b/manpages/awesome.1.ru.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ awesome - потрясающий оконный менеджер
 СИНОПСИС
 --------
 
-*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FILE'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
+*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FILE'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*--search* 'DIRECTORY'] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
 
 ОПИСАНИЕ
 --------
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ awesome - потрясающий оконный менеджер
     Использовать альтернативный конфигурационный файл вместо '$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/awesome/rc.lua'.
 *-k*, *--check*::
     Проверить синтаксис конфигурационного файла.
+*--search*::
+    Добавить каталог в пути поиска библиотеки.
 *-a*, *--no-argb*::
     Не использовать ARGB.
 *-r*, *--replace*::
diff --git a/manpages/awesome.1.txt b/manpages/awesome.1.txt
index 8ef3195a..bd45c998 100644
--- a/manpages/awesome.1.txt
+++ b/manpages/awesome.1.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ awesome - awesome window manager
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 
-*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FILE'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
+*awesome* [*-v* | *--version*] [*-h* | *--help*] [*-c* | *--config* 'FILE'] [*-k* | *--check*] [*--search* 'DIRECTORY'] [*-a* | *--no-argb*] [*-r* | *--replace]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ OPTIONS
     Use an alternate configuration file instead of '$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/awesome/rc.lua'.
 *-k*, *--check*::
     Check configuration file syntax.
+*--search*::
+    Add a directory to the library search path.
 *-a*, *--no-argb*::
     Don't use ARGB visuals.
 *-r*, *--replace*::