diff --git a/src/mirall/application.cpp b/src/mirall/application.cpp
index 557e64a1f..24a69eb59 100644
--- a/src/mirall/application.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/application.cpp
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ void mirallLogCatcher(QtMsgType type, const char *msg)
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+Application *Application::getInstance() {
+    return dynamic_cast<Application*>(qApp);
+}
+
 Application::Application(int &argc, char **argv) :
     SharedTools::QtSingleApplication(argc, argv),
     _tray(0),
@@ -74,6 +78,7 @@ Application::Application(int &argc, char **argv) :
     _theme(Theme::instance()),
     _updateDetector(0),
     _logBrowser(0),
+    _dataLocation(QDesktopServices::storageLocation(QDesktopServices::DataLocation)),
     _showLogWindow(false),
     _logFlush(false),
     _helpOnly(false)
@@ -181,6 +186,11 @@ Application::~Application()
     qDebug() << "* Mirall shutdown";
 }
 
+const QString &Application::getDataLocation() const
+{
+    return _dataLocation;
+}
+
 void Application::slotStartUpdateDetector()
 {
     _updateDetector = new UpdateDetector(this);
@@ -948,6 +958,12 @@ void Application::parseOptions(const QStringList &options)
             _logFlush = true;
         } else if (option == QLatin1String("--monoicons")) {
             _theme->setSystrayUseMonoIcons(true); 
+        } else if (option == QLatin1String("--confdir")) {
+            if (it.hasNext() && !it.peekNext().startsWith(QLatin1String("--"))) {
+                _dataLocation=it.next();
+            } else {
+                showHelp();
+            }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1040,6 +1056,7 @@ void Application::showHelp()
     std::cout << "  --logfile <filename> : write log output to file <filename>." << std::endl;
     std::cout << "  --logflush           : flush the log file after every write." << std::endl;
     std::cout << "  --monoicons          : Use black/white pictograms for systray." << std::endl;
+    std::cout << "  --confdir <dirname>  : Use the given configuration directory." << std::endl;
     std::cout << std::endl;
     if (_theme->appName() == QLatin1String("ownCloud"))
         std::cout << "For more information, see http://www.owncloud.org" << std::endl;
diff --git a/src/mirall/application.h b/src/mirall/application.h
index d8d327a8c..58825e37f 100644
--- a/src/mirall/application.h
+++ b/src/mirall/application.h
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ public:
 
     bool giveHelp();
 
+    static Application *getInstance();
+
+    const QString &getDataLocation() const;
+
 signals:
 
 protected slots:
@@ -128,6 +132,7 @@ private:
     QMap<QString, QString> _overallStatusStrings;
     LogBrowser *_logBrowser;
     QString _logFile;
+    QString _dataLocation;
     bool _showLogWindow;
     bool _logFlush;
     bool _helpOnly;
diff --git a/src/mirall/folderman.cpp b/src/mirall/folderman.cpp
index 5d3391446..5f2750ead 100644
--- a/src/mirall/folderman.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/folderman.cpp
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@
 #include <shlobj.h>
 #endif
 
-#include <QDesktopServices>
 #include <QtCore>
+#include "application.h"
 
 namespace Mirall {
 
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ FolderMan::FolderMan(QObject *parent) :
 {
     // if QDir::mkpath would not be so stupid, I would not need to have this
     // duplication of folderConfigPath() here
-    QDir storageDir(QDesktopServices::storageLocation(QDesktopServices::DataLocation));
+    QDir storageDir(Application::getInstance()->getDataLocation());
     storageDir.mkpath(QLatin1String("folders"));
-    _folderConfigPath = QDesktopServices::storageLocation(QDesktopServices::DataLocation) + QLatin1String("/folders");
+    _folderConfigPath = Application::getInstance()->getDataLocation() + QLatin1String("/folders");
 
     _folderChangeSignalMapper = new QSignalMapper(this);
     connect(_folderChangeSignalMapper, SIGNAL(mapped(const QString &)),
diff --git a/src/mirall/mirallconfigfile.cpp b/src/mirall/mirallconfigfile.cpp
index cc293ca2e..427284f68 100644
--- a/src/mirall/mirallconfigfile.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/mirallconfigfile.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "mirall/owncloudtheme.h"
 #include "mirall/miralltheme.h"
 #include "mirall/credentialstore.h"
+#include "mirall/application.h"
 
 #include <QtCore>
 #include <QtGui>
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ MirallConfigFile::MirallConfigFile( const QString& appendix )
 
 QString MirallConfigFile::configPath() const
 {
-    QString dir = QDesktopServices::storageLocation(QDesktopServices::DataLocation);
+    QString dir = Application::getInstance()->getDataLocation();
     if( !dir.endsWith(QLatin1Char('/')) ) dir.append(QLatin1Char('/'));
     return dir;
 }