diff --git a/.luacheckrc b/.luacheckrc
index 3de3dc84a..58eda1a43 100644
--- a/.luacheckrc
+++ b/.luacheckrc
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ read_globals = {
     "KOBO_LIGHT_ON_START",
     "NETWORK_PROXY",
     "DUSE_TURBO_LIB",
+    "STARDICT_DATA_DIR",
     "cre",
     "lfs",
     "lipc",
diff --git a/defaults.lua b/defaults.lua
index 3969f03db..14d60e450 100644
--- a/defaults.lua
+++ b/defaults.lua
@@ -251,6 +251,10 @@ NETWORK_PROXY = nil
 -- Use turbo library to handle async HTTP request
 DUSE_TURBO_LIB = false
 
+-- Absolute path to stardict files (override)
+-- By default they're stored in data/dict under dataDir.
+STARDICT_DATA_DIR = nil
+
 -- ####################################################################
 -- following features are not supported right now
 -- ####################################################################
diff --git a/frontend/apps/reader/modules/readerdictionary.lua b/frontend/apps/reader/modules/readerdictionary.lua
index d44ebe011..ccddeb73c 100644
--- a/frontend/apps/reader/modules/readerdictionary.lua
+++ b/frontend/apps/reader/modules/readerdictionary.lua
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ end
 
 function ReaderDictionary:init()
     self.ui.menu:registerToMainMenu(self)
-    self.data_dir = os.getenv("STARDICT_DATA_DIR") or
+    self.data_dir = STARDICT_DATA_DIR or
+        os.getenv("STARDICT_DATA_DIR") or
         DataStorage:getDataDir() .. "/data/dict"
 
     -- Gather info about available dictionaries