diff --git a/gramps/gen/const.py.in b/gramps/gen/const.py.in
index 1f142aae4..7e7e75cb6 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/const.py.in
+++ b/gramps/gen/const.py.in
@@ -93,12 +93,6 @@ APP_GRAMPS_PKG  = "application/x-gramps-package"
 APP_GENEWEB     = "application/x-geneweb"
 APP_VCARD       = ["text/x-vcard", "text/x-vcalendar"]
 
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-# system paths
-#
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-LOCALE_DIR = "@LOCALE_DIR@"
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # Platforms
@@ -205,10 +199,23 @@ else:
 # Paths to data files.
 #
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-LOCALE_DIR = "@LOCALE_DIR@"
-DATA_DIR = "@DATA_DIR@"
-IMAGE_DIR = "@IMAGE_DIR@"
-DOC_DIR = "@DOC_DIR@"
+if "XDG_DATA_DIRS" in os.environ:
+    share = None
+    for path in os.environ["XDG_DATA_DIRS"].split(":"):
+        if os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, "gramps", "tips.xml")):
+            share = path
+            break
+    if not share:
+        share = os.path.split("@DATA_DIR@")[0]
+    LOCALE_DIR = os.path.join(share, "locale")
+    DATA_DIR = os.path.join(share, "gramps")
+    IMAGE_DIR = os.path.join(DATA_DIR, "icons", "hicolor")
+    DOC_DIR = os.path.join(share, "doc", "gramps")
+else:
+    LOCALE_DIR = "@LOCALE_DIR@"
+    DATA_DIR = "@DATA_DIR@"
+    IMAGE_DIR = "@IMAGE_DIR@"
+    DOC_DIR = "@DOC_DIR@"
 
 TIP_DATA = os.path.join(DATA_DIR, "tips.xml")
 PAPERSIZE = os.path.join(DATA_DIR, "papersize.xml")
diff --git a/mac/gramps.bundle b/mac/gramps.bundle
index 2a8e5a34f..53ec269bc 100644
--- a/mac/gramps.bundle
+++ b/mac/gramps.bundle
@@ -183,6 +183,10 @@
     ${prefix}/lib/graphviz/config6
   </data>
 
+  <data>
+    ${prefix}/share/gramps
+  </data>
+
   <!-- Copy in the themes data. You may want to trim this to save space
        in your bundle. -->
   <data>