diff --git a/src/commandline/commandlineparser.cpp b/src/commandline/commandlineparser.cpp
index 863bfe2..1a59474 100644
--- a/src/commandline/commandlineparser.cpp
+++ b/src/commandline/commandlineparser.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
 #include <utility>
 
+#define MAX_RECURSIVE_SEARCH_DEPTH 3
+
 CommandLineParser::CommandLineParser(int argc, char *argv[])
     : QCommandLineParser()
 {
@@ -138,7 +140,16 @@ void CommandLineParser::_parseQHotProfile(const QString& profilePath)
     if (importPaths.isArray()) {
         const auto paths = importPaths.toArray();
         for (const auto &path : paths) {
-            _importPaths.append(profileDir.absoluteFilePath(path.toString()));
+            auto potentialPath = _lookupDirectory(path.toString(), qApp->applicationDirPath(), MAX_RECURSIVE_SEARCH_DEPTH);
+            if (!potentialPath.isEmpty()) {
+                _importPaths.append(potentialPath);
+                continue;
+            }
+            potentialPath = _lookupDirectory(path.toString(), profilePath, MAX_RECURSIVE_SEARCH_DEPTH);
+            if (!potentialPath.isEmpty()) {
+                _importPaths.append(potentialPath);
+                continue;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -146,7 +157,16 @@ void CommandLineParser::_parseQHotProfile(const QString& profilePath)
     if (pluginPaths.isArray()) {
         const auto paths = pluginPaths.toArray();
         for (const auto &path : paths) {
-            _pluginPaths.append(profileDir.absoluteFilePath(path.toString()));
+            auto potentialPath = _lookupDirectory(path.toString(), qApp->applicationDirPath(), MAX_RECURSIVE_SEARCH_DEPTH);
+            if (!potentialPath.isEmpty()) {
+                _pluginPaths.append(potentialPath);
+                continue;
+            }
+            potentialPath = _lookupDirectory(path.toString(), profilePath, MAX_RECURSIVE_SEARCH_DEPTH);
+            if (!potentialPath.isEmpty()) {
+                _pluginPaths.append(potentialPath);
+                continue;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -188,3 +208,17 @@ void CommandLineParser::_translate(const QString &translationFile)
 #endif
 
 }
+
+QString CommandLineParser::_lookupDirectory(const QString &needle, const QString &parentDirPath, int maximumDepth)
+{
+    QDir parentDir(parentDirPath);
+    QString parentPrefix = QStringLiteral("");
+    for (int i = 0; i < maximumDepth; i++) {
+        auto relativeToBinaryPath = parentDir.absoluteFilePath(parentPrefix + needle);
+        if (QDir(relativeToBinaryPath).exists()) {
+            return relativeToBinaryPath;
+        }
+        parentPrefix += QStringLiteral("../");
+    }
+    return {};
+}
diff --git a/src/commandline/commandlineparser.h b/src/commandline/commandlineparser.h
index 9186bcc..2e1ec33 100644
--- a/src/commandline/commandlineparser.h
+++ b/src/commandline/commandlineparser.h
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ class CommandLineParser : public QCommandLineParser {
     void printHelp();
     void _parseQHotProfile(const QString& profilePath);
     void _translate(const QString& translationFile);
+    static QString _lookupDirectory(const QString& needle, const QString& parentDirPath, int maximumDepth = 1);
 
     QStringList _importPaths;
     QStringList _pluginPaths;