diff --git a/lib/menubar/utils.lua.in b/lib/menubar/utils.lua.in
index 8cd0b1690..eac831b0e 100644
--- a/lib/menubar/utils.lua.in
+++ b/lib/menubar/utils.lua.in
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ local ipairs = ipairs
 local string = string
 local awful_util = require("awful.util")
 local theme = require("beautiful")
+local glib = require("lgi").GLib
 
 -- Utility module for menubar
 -- menubar.utils
@@ -48,9 +49,8 @@ local all_icon_sizes = {
     '16x16'
 }
 
--- List of supported icon formats. Ignore SVG because Awesome doesn't
--- support it.
-local icon_formats = { "png", "xpm" }
+-- List of supported icon formats.
+local icon_formats = { "png", "xpm", "svg" }
 
 -- Check whether the icon format is supported.
 -- @param icon_file Filename of the icon.
@@ -64,6 +64,35 @@ local function is_format_supported(icon_file)
     return false
 end
 
+local icon_lookup_path = nil
+local function get_icon_lookup_path()
+    if not icon_lookup_path then
+        icon_lookup_path = {}
+        local icon_theme_paths = {}
+        local icon_theme = theme.icon_theme
+        local paths = glib.get_system_data_dirs()
+        table.insert(paths, 1, glib.get_user_data_dir())
+        table.insert(paths, 1, glib.get_home_dir() .. '/.icons')
+        for k,dir in ipairs(paths)do
+            if icon_theme then
+                table.insert(icon_theme_paths, dir..'/icons/' .. icon_theme .. '/')
+            end
+            table.insert(icon_theme_paths, dir..'/icons/hicolor/') -- fallback theme
+        end
+        for i, icon_theme_directory in ipairs(icon_theme_paths) do
+            for j, size in ipairs(all_icon_sizes) do
+                table.insert(icon_lookup_path, icon_theme_directory .. size .. '/apps/')
+            end
+        end
+        for k,dir in ipairs(paths)do
+            -- lowest priority fallbacks
+            table.insert(icon_lookup_path, dir..'/pixmaps/')
+            table.insert(icon_lookup_path, dir..'/icons/')
+        end
+    end
+    return icon_lookup_path
+end
+
 --- Lookup an icon in different folders of the filesystem.
 -- @param icon_file Short or full name of the icon.
 -- @return full name of the icon.
@@ -75,32 +104,9 @@ function utils.lookup_icon(icon_file)
     if icon_file:sub(1, 1) == '/' and is_format_supported(icon_file) then
         -- If the path to the icon is absolute and its format is
         -- supported, do not perform a lookup.
-        return icon_file
+        return awful_util.file_readable(icon_file) and icon_file or nil
     else
-        local icon_path = {}
-        local icon_theme_paths = {}
-        local icon_theme = theme.icon_theme
-        if icon_theme then
-            table.insert(icon_theme_paths, '/usr/share/icons/' .. icon_theme .. '/')
-            -- TODO also look in parent icon themes, as in freedesktop.org specification
-        end
-        table.insert(icon_theme_paths, '/usr/share/icons/hicolor/') -- fallback theme
-
-        for i, icon_theme_directory in ipairs(icon_theme_paths) do
-            for j, size in ipairs(all_icon_sizes) do
-                table.insert(icon_path, icon_theme_directory .. size .. '/apps/')
-                table.insert(icon_path, icon_theme_directory .. size .. '/actions/')
-                table.insert(icon_path, icon_theme_directory .. size .. '/devices/')
-                table.insert(icon_path, icon_theme_directory .. size .. '/places/')
-                table.insert(icon_path, icon_theme_directory .. size .. '/categories/')
-                table.insert(icon_path, icon_theme_directory .. size .. '/status/')
-            end
-        end
-        -- lowest priority fallbacks
-        table.insert(icon_path, '/usr/share/pixmaps/')
-        table.insert(icon_path, '/usr/share/icons/')
-
-        for i, directory in ipairs(icon_path) do
+        for i, directory in ipairs(get_icon_lookup_path()) do
             if is_format_supported(icon_file) and awful_util.file_readable(directory .. icon_file) then
                 return directory .. icon_file
             else