diff --git a/awesomeConfig.cmake b/awesomeConfig.cmake
index d2f955672..8836f0f07 100644
--- a/awesomeConfig.cmake
+++ b/awesomeConfig.cmake
@@ -233,6 +233,14 @@ else()
     set(SYSCONFDIR ${PREFIX}/etc CACHE PATH "config directory")
 endif()
 
+#If an XDG Config Dir is specificed, use it instead
+#of the default XDG configuration dir.
+if(DEFINED XDG_CONFIG_DIR)
+    set(XDG_CONFIG_DIR ${XDG_CONFIG_SYS} CACHE PATH "xdg config directory")
+else()
+    set(XDG_CONFIG_DIR ${SYSCONFDIR}/xdg CACHE PATH "xdg config directory")
+endif()
+
 # Hide to avoid confusion
 mark_as_advanced(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX)
 
@@ -241,7 +249,7 @@ set(AWESOME_COMPILE_MACHINE  ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR})
 set(AWESOME_COMPILE_HOSTNAME ${BUILDHOSTNAME})
 set(AWESOME_COMPILE_BY       $ENV{USER})
 set(AWESOME_RELEASE          ${CODENAME})
-set(AWESOME_SYSCONFDIR       ${SYSCONFDIR}/xdg/${PROJECT_AWE_NAME})
+set(AWESOME_SYSCONFDIR       ${XDG_CONFIG_DIR}/${PROJECT_AWE_NAME})
 set(AWESOME_DATA_PATH        ${PREFIX}/share/${PROJECT_AWE_NAME})
 set(AWESOME_DOC_PATH         ${PREFIX}/share/doc/${PROJECT_AWE_NAME})
 set(AWESOME_MAN_PATH         ${PREFIX}/share/man)
diff --git a/config.h.in b/config.h.in
index cdcd44c42..84fe5d900 100644
--- a/config.h.in
+++ b/config.h.in
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #define _CONFIG_H_
 
 #define AWESOME_LUA_LIB_PATH "@AWESOME_LUA_LIB_PATH@"
-#define SYSCONFDIR           "@SYSCONFDIR@"
+#define XDG_CONFIG_DIR       "@XDG_CONFIG_DIR@"
 
 #cmakedefine WITH_DBUS
 #cmakedefine WITH_IMLIB2
diff --git a/lua.c b/lua.c
index 0b22fd0fd..ff5bb245f 100644
--- a/lua.c
+++ b/lua.c
@@ -560,8 +560,8 @@ luaA_parserc(const char *confpatharg)
 
     if(!(len = a_strlen(xdg_config_dirs)))
     {
-        xdg_config_dirs = SYSCONFDIR;
-        len = sizeof(SYSCONFDIR)-1;
+        xdg_config_dirs = XDG_CONFIG_DIR;
+        len = sizeof(XDG_CONFIG_DIR) - 1;
     }
 
     xdg_files = a_strsplit(xdg_config_dirs, len, ':');