diff --git a/elconfig.c b/elconfig.c
index bfbaef0c9..a8f309556 100755
--- a/elconfig.c
+++ b/elconfig.c
@@ -3156,6 +3156,7 @@ static void init_ELC_vars(void)
 		SERVER);
 	add_var(OPT_BOOL,"write_ini_on_exit", "wini", &write_ini_on_exit, change_var, 1,"Save INI","Save options when you quit",SERVER);
 	add_var(OPT_STRING,"data_dir","dir",datadir,change_dir_name,90,"Data Directory","Place were we keep our data. Can only be changed with a Client restart.",SERVER);
+	add_var(OPT_STRING,"alt_updates_dir","aupdir",alt_updates_dir,change_dir_name,90,"Alt Updates Directory","Full path to an alternative updates directory for data files.  Normally blank.",SERVER);
 #endif // ANDROID
 	add_var(OPT_BOOL,"serverpopup","spu",&use_server_pop_win,change_var,1,"Use Special Text Window","Toggles whether server messages from channel 255 are displayed in a pop up window.",SERVER);
 	/* Note: We don't take any action on the already-running thread, as that wouldn't necessarily be good. */
diff --git a/init.c b/init.c
index dcd2c39c6..6cf2b4f29 100644
--- a/init.c
+++ b/init.c
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ char datadir[256]=DATA_DIR;
 char datadir[256]="./";
 #endif //DATA_DIR
 
+char alt_updates_dir[256]="";
+
 static const char *cfg_filename = "el.cfg";
 #ifdef JSON_FILES
 static const char *client_state_filename = "client_state.json";
diff --git a/init.h b/init.h
index c0e96586b..46cc766b3 100644
--- a/init.h
+++ b/init.h
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ typedef struct
 
 extern char configdir[256]; /*!< the default directory where we look for configuration files */
 extern char datadir[256]; /*!< the default directory where we look for data files (aka installation dir) */
+extern char alt_updates_dir[256]; /*!< an alternative updates directory for data files, if blank, default is <config base>/updates/<version> */
 
 /*!
  * \ingroup loadsave
diff --git a/io/elpathwrapper.c b/io/elpathwrapper.c
index 9f9c30afd..6796848af 100644
--- a/io/elpathwrapper.c
+++ b/io/elpathwrapper.c
@@ -192,7 +192,10 @@ const char * get_path_updates(void)
 		return locbuffer;
 	}
 
-	safe_snprintf(locbuffer, sizeof(locbuffer), "%supdates/%d_%d_%d/", get_path_config_base(), VER_MAJOR, VER_MINOR, VER_RELEASE);
+	if (alt_updates_dir[0] != '\0')
+		safe_snprintf(locbuffer, sizeof(locbuffer), "%s", alt_updates_dir);
+	else
+		safe_snprintf(locbuffer, sizeof(locbuffer), "%supdates/%d_%d_%d/", get_path_config_base(), VER_MAJOR, VER_MINOR, VER_RELEASE);
 
 	return locbuffer;
 }